Clashes erupt in Paris as 'yellow vests' protest at unrepentant Macron

Authored by mobile.reuters.com and submitted by Redditsoldestaccount

By Richard Lough and Elizabeth Pineau

PARIS (Reuters) - Rioters in Paris torched motorbikes and set barricades ablaze on the upmarket Boulevard Saint Germain on Saturday, as protests against high living costs and the perceived indifference of President Emmanuel Macron turned violent on the fringes.

The latest "yellow vest" marches began peacefully but degenerated in the afternoon as protesters threw missiles at riot police blocking bridges over the Seine.

Officers fired tear gas to prevent protesters crossing the river and reaching the National Assembly. One riverboat restaurant was set ablaze and a policeman was wounded when he was hit by a bicycle hurled from a street above the river bank.

Two months after they started blocking roads, occupying highway tollbooths and staging sometimes-violent street protests in Paris, the yellow vests wanted to inject new momentum into a movement that weakened over the holidays.

Macron's government, shaken by the unrest, had this week hardened its stance, branding the protesters agitators seeking to overthrow the government.

Driving the unrest is anger, particularly among low-paid workers, over a squeeze on household incomes, and a belief that Macron is deaf to citizens' needs as he enacts reforms seen as favoring the wealthy.

"They have no right to leave us in the shit like this," said protester Francois Cordier. "We're fed up with having to pay out the whole time, we've had enough of this slavery, we should be able to live on our salaries."

Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux escaped from his office through a back door after a small number of protesters broke into the compound and smashed up vehicles.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said about 50,000 people had protested in cities nationwide, including Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rouen and Marseille.

The turnout was higher than last week but a small fraction of the numbers seen in the first weeks of the protests.

Riot policemen run near a fire during a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement at Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes Riot policemen walk near a fire during a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes A motorcycle burns during a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement at Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes Representatives of ''yellow vests'' movement, surrounded by the media, attend a meeting in the headquarters of the French daily newspaper 'La Provence' in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier A riot policeman stands near a fire during a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement at Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes Christmas trees that were collected for recycling are burnt during a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Nantes, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Stephane Mahe Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes An injured woman lies on the ground during a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Nantes, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Stephane Mahe A protester wearing a yellow vest reacts during a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Nantes, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Stephane Mahe French policeman points a flash-ball gun a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Nantes, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Stephane Mahe Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes A protester wearing yellow vest holds a flare in front of the town hall as he takes part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. The writing on the banner reads, ''France is not for sale''. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier Protesters hold yellow vests as they take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. The writing on the banner reads, ''France is not for sale''. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier Protesters wearing yellow vest hold flares in front of the town hall as they take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier A protester in a yellow vest wearing a Guy Fawkes mask walks near Hotel de Ville during a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. The writing on the banner reads, ''France is not for sale''. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration of the ''yellow vests'' movement in Marseille, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier Protesters take part in a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration by the ''yellow vests'' movement in Paris, France, January 5, 2019. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes

As darkness fell, officers dispersed scores of yellow vests gathered on Paris's Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Television images showed hooded youths setting a car alight on a side street, but there was no repeat of the scenes in November when shops were looted, banks vandalized and the Arc de Triomphe was defaced.

Authorities have blamed the worst of the violence in recent weeks on anarchists, anti-capitalists and extreme groups on the fringes of the yellow vest movement.

The protests come 18 months into Macron's tenure and his drive to reshape the economy, and have already forced him into concessions.

Last month, Macron promised tax cuts for pensioners, wage rises for the poorest workers and the scrapping of planned fuel tax increases, at a cost to the Treasury of 10 billion euros ($11 billion).

It was the first big U-turn for a president elected 18 months earlier on a platform to break with traditional French politics and liberalize the heavily regulated economy.

In a New Year's Eve address, Macron vowed to press on with his reform agenda, saying: "We can't work less, earn more, cut taxes and increase spending."

Faced with record low popularity ratings, Macron is expected soon to set out his plans for the coming months. These include a nationwide debate on ecological, fiscal and institutional questions, the results of which he says will feed into policy.

Sulemain123 on January 6th, 2019 at 00:29 UTC »

It's not a real revolution until the National Guard switches sides.

axloo7 on January 5th, 2019 at 18:16 UTC »

Damn there still protesting?! Idk what's more impressive the fact that people are still at it or the fact that the government has not caved.

autotldr on January 5th, 2019 at 16:01 UTC »

This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 81%. (I'm a bot)

PARISPARIS - French "Yellow vests" marched through Paris and other cities on Saturday in protest against high living costs and the perceived indifference of President Emmanuel Macron, whose government this week hardened its stance against them.

The street protests began peacefully in the French capital but degenerated later in the afternoon as protesters hurled missiles at riot police barricading bridges over the Seine river and torched garbage bins on the glitzy Boulevard Saint Germain.

"We have to give power back to the people and not a minority that serves its own interests," said a second yellow vest protester outside the old stock market building.

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