Thousands of “yellow vest” protestors took to the streets of Paris and other French cities on Saturday to oppose President Emmanuel Macron’s policies. The demonstrations were held despite the administration’s plea to hold it off because of the Strasbourg attack.
This is the fifth consecutive Saturday that demonstrators staged such protests to voice their dissent. Seven people have died in violence related to the protests so far, BBC reported.
Riot police resorted to using teargas against a few protestors in some areas near the Champs-Elysees in Paris, Reuters reported.
Authorities reported fewer protestors during the latest demonstration. The administration has deployed 69,000 police personnel across France to control the protests.
The “gilet jaunes” or “yellow vest” protests, named after the fluorescent jackets stored in all vehicles in France, began on November 17 against rising fuel taxes and high costs of living. The protests intensified last weekend, when several people in fluorescent yellow jackets and masked faces rioted on the streets of Paris, setting dozens of vehicles and buildings on fire.
On Friday, Macron had taken some damage control measures by announcing wage rises for poor workers and tax cuts for pensioners. “France needs calm, order and a return to normal,” Macron had said.
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