Police disperse ‘yellow vest’ Paris protesters with teargas

[Valin]

AFP

2018-11-24

Police firing tear gas and water cannons clashed in Paris on Saturday with thousands of protesters angry over rising car fuel costs and President Emmanuel Macron's economic policies, the second weekend of "yellow vest" protests across France.

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During the clashes a trailer was set on fire and exploded on the Champs Elysees, France's most famous tourist mile, and a man who tried to attack fire fighters was overpowered by some of the demonstrators themselves.

On the nearby Avenue de Friedland, police fired special rubber balls to control demonstrators, who carried French flags or slogans, saying "Macron, resignation" and "Macron, thief".

Around 8,000 protesters had converged on the Champs Elysees where police tried to prevent them from reaching the president's Elysee Palace

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Protesters are opposed to taxes Macron introduced last year on diesel and petrol which are designed to encourage people to switch to cleaner forms of transport. Alongside the tax, the government has offered incentives to buy electric vehicles.

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[Valin]

 

[Valin]

France's Meltdown, Macron's Disdain

Guy Millière
December 1, 2018

"The French say, 'Mr. President, we cannot make ends meet,' and the President replies, 'we shall create a High Council [for the climate]'. Can you imagine the disconnect?" -- Laurence Saillet, spokesman for the center-right party, The Republicans, November 27, 2018

The "yellow jackets" [protestors] now have the support of 77% of the French population. They are demanding Macron's resignation and an immediate change of government.

The movement is now a revolt of millions of people who feel asphyxiated by "confiscatory" taxation, and who do not want to "pay indefinitely" for a government that seems "unable to limit spending". -- Jean-Yves Camus, political scientist.

European elections are to be held this Spring, 2019. Polls show that the National Gathering will be in the lead, far ahead of La République En Marche! [The Republic on the Move!], the party created by Macron.

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[Valin]

 

[Valin]

Dec 2, 2018

The White Working Class Are Rising Up To Revolt In Europe. The yellow vests protests began after the French government imposed a tax on gas and diesel. The citizenry was furious, the rising tax would affect those from rural areas more so than those in cities.

This meant that once again the urban areas would continue unscathed following government action on climate change and be immune to the economic ramifications of a globalized economy.

In response white working class people from the rural areas rose up and began to revolt in major cities. They called themselves the forgotten majority, similar to Trump's silent majority.

Now entering week three, it is expected to continue as French president Emmanuel Macron refuses to negotiate.

[Valin]

France suspends fuel hike

Paul Mirengoff

December 4, 2018

The French government announced today that it will temporarily suspend the carbon tax plan that triggered weeks of protests nationwide. Two weekends of mass protests didn’t move the government. Only after the protests turned violent during the third weekend — owing to the behavior of thugs, not the main body of protesters — did the government relent, at least temporarily.

The announcement came not from President Emmanuel Macron, but from Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. He said, “No tax is worth putting in danger the unity of the nation.”

Really? Not even a tax that is supposed to help save the world from climate change? How nationalistic!

The tax hasn’t been revoked, just suspended for six months. This buys the government time, but does not resolve its dilemma.

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[Valin]

On 12/4/2018 at 10:15 AM, Valin said:

France suspends fuel hike

Paul Mirengoff

December 4, 2018

The French government announced today that it will temporarily suspend the carbon tax plan that triggered weeks of protests nationwide. Two weekends of mass protests didn’t move the government. Only after the protests turned violent during the third weekend — owing to the behavior of thugs, not the main body of protesters — did the government relent, at least temporarily.

 

Macron Waves the White Flag on Carbon Taxes in France

Michael Bastasch

December 06, 2018

French President Emmanuel Macron decided to scrap the planned carbon tax on fuels after weeks of protests rocked Paris and other major cities across the country.

An Élysée Palace official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that “the president decided to get rid of the tax.”

Macron’s decision comes one day after the government announced plans to delay implementing the carbon taxes for six months. The fuel taxes were meant to go into effect in January as part of France’s plan to fight global warming.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told French lawmakers the carbon tax “is now abandoned.” Phillippe said the government is “ready for dialogue” on what the next steps will be.

Thousands of protesters called “yellow vests” took to the streets to protest the carbon taxes, which would have added 33 cents to a gallon of diesel and 17 cents for a gallon of gasoline.

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