French fuel price protests left 409 hurt
‘Yellow vest’ demonstrations continue countrywide
More than 400 people were hurt, 14 seriously, in a day and night of “yellow vest” fuel price protests around France that claimed one life, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said yesterday.
The injury toll, more than double the last tally provided on Saturday, followed a “restive” night in 87 locations around the country where protesters had blocked roads to express their anger at a series of hikes in petrol tax.
The injured, 409 in total, included 28 members of the police, military police, and fire brigade. Castaner told RTL radio about 288,000 people had taken part in Saturday’s protests at 2,034 locations countrywide.
About 3,500 stayed out overnight, he added. Police questioned 282 protesters in total, 73 during the night, of which 157 were taken into custody.
“Last night was restive. There were assaults, fights, stabbings,” Castaner said. “There were fights among ‘yellow vest’ protesters. There was a lot of alcohol at certain venues, which led to this idiotic behaviour.”
The minister said protest organisers planned a continuation of demonstrations yesterday at about 150 locations countrywide.
“I really want people not to let themselves become submerged by anger. The yellow jackets must understand this is a peaceful movement.” Alexandrine Mazet Daughter of protester killed in Paris
The French president is under fire again, this time over rising fuel prices. On Saturday, some 282,700 protesters, many clad in yellow vests, not only took to the streets, but in many places literally took the streets, according to the French Interior Ministry.
The ministry said a network of drivers blocked roads at some 2,000 locations across the country, generating traffic backups for miles and causing one death.
A 63-year-old protester was killed in the eastern Savoie region when a driver panicked by demonstrators accidentally accelerated into the crowd. In other incidents nationwide, 227 people were reported injured. Eight of the injured were in serious condition, ministry officials said. A police officer and a firefighter who intervened when protesters attacked a closed service station were among the eight.
Why are people on the warpath?
The protesters’ chief complaint: the rising cost of diesel fuel. The recent price hike is a direct result of Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to curbing climate change, which included higher carbon taxes for 2018, the first full year of his term. But beyond the diesel issue, many turned out on Saturday to voice any number of other frustrations with the so-called “president for the rich,” who is seen as increasingly removed from ordinary people’s concerns. The daughter of the woman killed called for calm as she protested in Cavaillon, in southern France. “I really want people not to let themselves become submerged by anger,” Alexandrine Mazet told RTL radio. “The yellow jackets must understand this is a peaceful movement,” she said.
How is climate change linked to this?
Diesel, a fossil fuel, is known for the pollutants it emits into the air. Although it was traditionally taxed at the same rate as petrol, that is no longer the case: Taxes on diesel have risen by 6.2 per cent per litre this year, as part of the government’s efforts to protect clean air. The problem is that diesel remains the most common fuel in France, leading many to
“They have sent a message. It is heard. The government is attentive to all demonstrations and, of course, we must continue to answer the expectations of the French including those about their purchasing power.” Christophe Castaner French Interior Minister
view recent policies as an attack on working people more than an environmental safeguard. However, the UN contends that taxing carbon dioxide emissions is an essential component of halting a steady rise in global temperatures. It was a key element of the world body’s major October report predicting that the earth’s atmosphere may warm by up to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit over preindustrial levels as soon as 2040, potentially triggering a global crisis decades earlier than expected.
“I have two little words for Mr. Macron and his government. You have persecuted drivers since the day you took office. This will continue for how long? The French government is responsible for the death of this woman.” Jacline Mouraud Yellow Vest movement member
Why is raising carbon tax a priority for France?
Carbon taxes have been a priority for Macron, with France raising its carbon tax from $35 a ton in 2017 to $51 a tonne in 2018. The cost is slated to keep rising, eventually reaching $98.50 (Dh361.74) a ton in 2022. The government has acknowledged the impact on the average French pocket. But since early 2018, consumers have been eligible for an “environmental bonus” rebate: Trade in a diesel car for a more environmentally friendly model, and get money back.
Macron wants to close the gap between the price of diesel fuel and gasoline as part of his strategy to wean France off fossil fuels. A “carbon trajectory” calls for continued increases. The price of diesel has risen by around 23% over past 12 months to an average of €1.51 ($1.71) per litre.
So why is the tax a sensitive issue in France?
The planned increase in fuel taxes, notably for diesel fuel, spoke to those French who feel the president has asked ordinary citizens to make the largest efforts in his bid to transform France. Those French who have a hard time making ends meet often rely on cheaper diesel fuel. Many drivers see this as emblematic of a presidency they view as disconnected from dayto-day economic difficulties and serving the rich. Macron’s popularity has plunged, hovering around 30 per cent. More than 1,000 protesters congregated at the Place de la Concorde at the bottom of the Champs-Elysees, shouting “Macron resign” as police looked on.
How have the protests played out?
Police officers lobbed tear gas canisters at demonstrators on the famed Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris as groups of “yellow jackets,” as the protesters called themselves, tried to make their way to the presidential Elysee Palace. Later, hundreds of protesters entered the bottom of the street dotted with luxury shops where the palace is located — and where Macron lives — before being pushed back by security forces with shields.
Do a majority of people believe in the protests?
According to a poll published on Friday by the Odoxa agency for France’s Le Figaro newspaper — albeit with only 1,000 respondents — as many as three in four French people agree. Whatever the actual figure, Macron’s political opponents, particularly on France’s political extremes, have sought to capitalise on the sentiment, using the “yellow vest” movement to cast the president as an out-of-touch elitist. That is a common criticism of Macron, whose approval ratings have recently plummeted to as low as 26 per cent. Even President Donald Trump took notice, noting Macron’s low popularity in a flurry of tweets after a tense visit to Paris last weekend.
How has Macron responded?
In response, Macron has offered his “respect and consideration” to the protesters but has refused to budge.
I prefer taxing fuel to taxing labour. People complaining about rising fuel prices are the same ones who complain about pollution and how their children suffer.”
Emmanuel Macron | French President