‘Yellow vest’ protests against Macron hit traffic in France
PROTESTERS SAY THEY ARE BEING SQUEEZED BY YEARS OF FUEL TAX INCREASES
Thousands of people blocked roads across France yesterday in a “yellow vest” movement against high fuel prices which has mushroomed into widespread protest against stagnant spending power under President Emmanuel Macron.
Tempers flared as some drivers tried to force their way through demonstrators, and one protester was killed when a woman panicked and accidentally rammed into a crowd.
An estimated 124,000 people were taking part at midday in more than 2,000 protests at roundabouts and motorway exits, the interior ministry said.
Police had detained 24 people, at times using tear gas to clear blockades, the ministry said. Forty-seven protesters were injured, three seriously.
“We’re on maximum alert,” said Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, reiterating that police would ensure no roads ■ were completely blocked in order to ensure people’s safety.
The protesters say they are being squeezed by years of fuel tax increases that have driven prices to levels not seen since the early 2000s.
But analysts say the movement now represents more widespread frustration over stagnant personal spending power under Macron, a former investment banker who had promised economic revival.
“If I’m here today it’s because of everything, not just fuel,” said Alan, a 28-year-old IT worker at a protest outside Rennes in western France.
“When you do the math of everything you pay, they [the government] take everything,” he said of taxes. “The higher cost of fuel is the last straw.”
In Paris, several hundred protesters yelling: “Macron resign!” and singing La Marseillaise partially blocked the Champs Elysees as police impeded their path toward the nearby Elysee Palace, Macron’s official residence.
Erupted on social media
The “yellow vests” movement, named for the highvisibility jackets worn by supporters, erupted on social media last month with calls for mass blockades of roads and highways.
Anger over fuel costs, blamed on years of tax increases imposed as part of France’s antipollution fight, has been simmering for months.
The protests quickly coalesced into a wave of discontent with rising living costs which has found broad public support.