Macron Urges Calm Amid the Yellow‑Vest Storm
On a Trip to Chad, the President Calls the Rally for “Order”
While touring Chad and chatting with French troops fighting terror, President Emmanuel Macron pressed the need for peace. “We must restore calm and harmony,” he urged, noting how the nation needs unity and genuine commitment after the wealth gap has left many working folks feeling betrayed.
Decreased Numbers, Rising Tension
Inside France’s capital, the latest protest saw 38,600 participants—about half the attendance of the week before. Although the streets were mostly peaceful, chaos re‑emerged on the iconic Champs‑Élysées as evening fell.
- Three police officers, riding a motorbike, were swarmed by demonstrators throwing scooters, paving stones, and a handful of other rogue objects.
- In a viral clip, one officer brandished his gun, while the others fled after their motorbike was knocked aside.
- Earlier shots show the police hurling stun grenades at a relatively distant crowd.
Governors Among the Hurt Floor
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe blasted the “incredible violence” leveled against police, while Macron warned that the perpetrators would face “the most severe” legal penalties. He also condemned the radical acts—singing hateful songs, decapitating one of his effigies—and called for uniform condemnation under the law.
Extra‑Provincial Chaos
- In the western Charente region, a Macron silhouette’s head was sliced off.
- Near Sacré‑Cœur, protesters mouthed a song by a notorious anti‑Semite.
From Millions to a Few Thousand
From the original 282,000 demonstrators who protested a proposed fuel‑tax hike in mid‑November, numbers plummeted as sentiment shifted from economic protest to a full‑blown revolt against Macron’s top‑down style.
Last week, @Macron quickly rolled out a €10 billion package to ease pensioners and low‑wage workers. However, the protests split into moderates open to dialogue and radicals clinging to barricades.
Detentions and Rallies
- About 2,000 people gathered in Paris on Saturday (down from 4,000 a week prior).
- 142 individuals were held, with a notable protest leader, Eric Drouet, jailed.
Economic Fallout Before Christmas
Retailers have felt the burn: stores recorded a 25% sales dip from the previous year, according to Junior Economy Minister Agnes Pannier‑Runacher. Meanwhile, 10 fatalities, mostly from accident‑induced roadblocks, highlight the movement’s toll.
Macron’s Own Reflection
In a press briefing with Chad’s President Idriss Déby, Macron framed the sacrifices as a response to the “righteous anger of the French people.” In a meeting with Chadian women, he admitted that a one‑size‑fits‑all environmental push had been “sometimes mistaken” and applauded local initiatives.
All in all, the French flag waves under a looming challenge: balancing civic fury with civic responsibility—and doing it while keeping the humor and heart that demand a truly civilian democracy.
