France's Yellow Revolution
for Agence France Presse
The Yellow vests (gilets jaunes in french) movement began in France in 2018 as populist, grassroots political initiative for economic justice. Protester are motivated by rising fuel prices, high cost of living and claims that a disproportionate burden of the government's tax reforms. The protests involved marches and the blocking of roads and fuel depots all around France. Some of the protests developed into major riots, as on the Champs Elysées in Paris. Security forces fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters who tried to break through a police cordon.
On December 1, the french capital turned into battle zone as 'Yellow Vest' protests escalated for their third demonstration, described as the most violent riots since those of May 68.
As a result, on December 10, in his speech, Emmanual Macron pledged a €100 per month increase in the minimum wage and exclusion of charges and taxes on overtime hours. The movement then received international attention. Protesters in many places around the world have used the yellow vest as a symbol. The loss of eyes, hands, and other neurological disorders caused by police blast balls shocked the national opinion.
The protests eventually stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
