Anger followed grief for yellow vest protesters

For many yellow vest protesters, the stinging sadness that came with the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral has quickly given way to boiling anger.

Some of the activists, whose violent protests against inequality have been shaking up France for months, said they cried in front of their TV sets as they watched the Gothic architectural masterpiece being consumed by flames Monday night.

Despite their struggles to make ends meet, some even made small donations for the restoration of the iconic building.

They felt unheard when French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation to speak about the fire, instead of laying out his response to the social crisis that has fueled their protests since last November.

And they felt even more outraged when, in just a few hours, billionaires pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to help restore the damaged cathedral while their demands remain unsatisfied in their longstanding fight with the French government.