If you have looked at Twitter or the news over the last two days, you may have seen the chaos unfolding on the streets of Paris. People are rioting over a tax increase on fuel which the Macron government claims it is imposing to reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Anthony Rivas of ABC News reports:
Paris burning: Protesters set streets on fire on 8th day of protests against rising fuel taxesViolence erupted on the streets of the city of lights on Saturday as about 8,000 protesters faced off against thousands of police deployed to contain the demonstrations.As angry protesters blocked streets and lit various materials on fire, including large sheets of plywood and garbage bins, police hurled tear gas and shot water cannons on the crowds, the majority of which were centered near the Champs-Elysees.Saturday was the eighth day of protests over rising fuel taxes and French President Emmanuel Macron’s economic policies. Since the protests began on Nov. 17, two people have been killed, according to the Associated Press.“Shame on those who attacked [the police],” Macron said on Twitter.“Shame on those who have abused other citizens and journalists. Shame on those who tried to intimidate the [elected]. No place for this violence in the Republic.”
The rioters are wearing yellow safety vests which car owners in France are required to keep in their cars. Things have gotten pretty out of hand, as you can see in this video:
The Local in France has more:
Paris: ‘Yellow vest’ protest marred by violent clashes with French police on Champs-ElyséesSeveral thousand demonstrators, wearing high-visibility yellow jackets, had gathered on the avenue as part of protests which began last Saturday against an increase in diesel tax, justified as an anti-pollution levy by the government.The protests have since morphed into a broad opposition front to centrist President Emmanuel Macron.By mid-afternoon, 81,000 protestors had been counted across France, compared with about 244,000 at the same time last week, figures from the interior ministry showed.Around 8,000 took to the streets in Paris, and about 5,000 gad gathered by early Saturday on the famous Champs-Elysées where they clashed with police trying to prevent them moving down to the Place de la Concorde near the Louvre museum…”We have just demonstrated peacefully, and we were teargassed,” said Christophe, 49, who traveled from the Isere region in eastern France with his wife to protest in the capital. “We see how we are welcomed in Paris.”
Here are some more videos:
At the time of this writing, two deaths and hundreds of injuries have been reported.
Featured image via YouTube.
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