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Clashes Break Out in France in Latest 'Yellow Vest' Protest


Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration in Paris, Jan. 19, 2019.
Protesters wearing yellow vests take part in a demonstration in Paris, Jan. 19, 2019.

Clashes broke out throughout France on Saturday, as an estimated 84,000 "yellow vest" demonstrators took to the streets in a 10th consecutive weekend of protests against President Emmanuel Macron's government.

The demonstrations passed off relatively peacefully in Paris where 7,000 turned up, although Reuters Television reporters saw scuffles briefly break out between police and demonstrators, some wearing masks, in the capital's Invalides district.

Protesters threw firecrackers, bottles and stones at police, who responded with water canon and tear gas to push them back.

"Macron, resign!" some protesters shouted.

The protests, named after the fluorescent jackets French motorists are required to carry in their cars, began in November over plans to raise fuel taxes. The number of demonstrators on Saturday was roughly the same as last week's figure.

The fuel tax hikes were subsequently scrapped, yet the movement has morphed into a broader protest against Macron's government and general anger over taxes and the cost of living.

Police officers are seen in front of protesters wearing yellow vests during a demonstration in Marseille, France, Jan. 19, 2019.
Police officers are seen in front of protesters wearing yellow vests during a demonstration in Marseille, France, Jan. 19, 2019.

"How can we continue to live with so little?" said Bernard Grignan, a 65-year old retired manager who took part in the Paris demonstrations.

Trouble in Toulouse

In Paris, some demonstrators carried mock coffins symbolizing the 10 people who have died during the protests, mainly because of accidents when demonstrators blocked roads.

December's demonstrations saw some of the worst violence in decades in Paris, as rioters burned cars and vandalized shops.

Protests in Paris this month have not seen the same level of trouble, although video of a former French boxing champion punching and kicking police in Paris shocked many.

Despite a relative decline in crowd trouble in Paris, however, disturbances have flared up in other cities.

According to official figures, the biggest demonstration on Saturday occurred in the southern city of Toulouse, where around 10,000 people took part. The demonstration turned violent as evening fell, as protesters vandalized a bank and other shops.

Protesters wearing yellow vests face riot police during a demonstration of the "yellow vest" movement in Angers, France, Jan. 19, 2019.
Protesters wearing yellow vests face riot police during a demonstration of the "yellow vest" movement in Angers, France, Jan. 19, 2019.

Eight people were injured and there were 23 arrests. Reuters correspondents also reported disturbances in Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille, while the local government building was attacked in Angers, northwest of Paris.

Macron has launched a series of national debates to help quell public discontent and restore his standing.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen — soundly beaten by Macron in the 2017 presidential election — is looking to take advantage of the "yellow vest" crisis and win ground in the May 2019 European Parliament elections.

'Legitimate' revolt

On Saturday, Le Pen reiterated her support for the protesters at a meeting near Marseille, at which she described the movement as a "legitimate" and "courageous" revolt.

The Angers member of Parliament, Matthieu Orphelin, a member of Macron's LREM centrist party, said he would cancel talks with members of the "yellow vests" in light of the trouble in Angers.

"It fills me with fury to see our beautiful town attacked in this way, in particular the damage caused to symbols of the republic," Orphelin said in a statement.

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    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

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