Gilets jaunes protests continue in Paris as Notre Dame donations cause fresh social tensions
Protesting weekly for over five months now, ‘yellow vest’ demonstrators will again take to the streets across France today to protest President Emmanuel Macron’s alleged elitist policies.
Eleven people have been killed and 2,000 injured during the demonstrations since December. On March 16, the protestors threw rocks at police, burnt roadblocks and robbed shops, causing $226 million worth of damages.
In response, the French government has outlawed protests in certain neighbourhoods and fined or imprisoned protestors carrying dangerous materials. Soldiers have also been deployed to keep the peace.
Following the Notre Dame fire, President Macron postponed his address to the ‘yellow vest’ movement. Since then, protestors have even criticised wealthy donors’ generosity towards the building’s reconstruction, demanding that the almost $1 billion pledged to the project be instead directed towards social causes.
Today’s march could again become violent. However, expect President Macron to shift attention away from the ‘yellow vest’ movement, instead focusing on national unity in the wake of the Notre Dame fire. This may only serve to further anger ‘yellow vest’ protestors going forward.
Wake up smarter with an assessment of the stories that will make headlines in the next 24 hours. Download The Daily Brief.
