Who are the Yellow Vests?

The so-called “Yellow Vest” anti-government protests have swept France over the last fortnight, sparked initially by a rise in taxes on diesel. The Yellow Vests are a grass roots movement with no formal leaders and a wide range of demands. Some representatives have also insisted on public talks broadcast on TV.

The movement has since morphed into a broad opposition front to President Emmanuel Macron, a 40-yearold pro-business centrist elected in May 2017. Violent anarchist and farright groups have since infiltrated it and are thought to be behind Saturday’s clashes.