PARIS — Protesters across France took to the streets Saturday over the rising cost of living, joined by students who have been demonstrating for weeks. NPR reported that the protests came as the country’s fiscal crisis deepens.
Organizers described the day as the return of the “yellow vest” movement, which began in 2018 as a revolt over fuel prices.
What was planned
A website for the Oct. 17 mobilization listed 1,365 actions across France, Connexion France reported. They included:
- 611 demonstrations
- 158 roundabout gatherings
- 320 gatherings at service stations
- 88 gatherings at railway stations
Protesters also planned to gather in front of gas stations and oil depots. The protests are decentralized, and no single spokesperson leads them.
Who is involved
Several well-known figures from the original yellow vest movement backed the day. Jérôme Rodrigues said in a video that “yellow vests, lycée students, workers, pensioners” could combine their struggles. Eric Drouet urged farmers, garbage collectors, firefighters and railway workers to join.
Another original activist, Maxime Nicolle, asked adults to stand between young protesters and police and to stay peaceful.
Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel officially backed the protests, and members of the left-wing party La France Insoumise also supported them. Unions were not expected to call strikes because Saturday is a day off for most public-sector workers. Some, like the CGT, said they would take part where they could. A strike notice covering fire and rescue personnel runs through Oct. 20.
The student protests
The day follows weeks of protests by students at hundreds of French secondary schools. More than 1,000 arrests and over 100 combined injuries to students and officers were reported before a national student day of action on Oct. 6. Violence was reported at some sites.
Rodrigues described Saturday’s protests as a continuation of the student movement and said students have faced police “repression.”
Not everyone agrees it is a yellow vest revival
Some original yellow vests said Saturday’s protests were not started by their movement. One said that as soon as people talk about fuel and discontent, they are labeled yellow vests. Another, Ludosky, said he didn’t know who to follow or how big the day would be.
Observers also noted that France’s autumn school holidays were beginning, which could affect turnout.
Background
The original yellow vest protests started on Nov. 17, 2018, partly in response to fuel tax increases. They grew into a wider movement over taxes, purchasing power and economic inequality. Demonstrations were held every Saturday for more than a year. The name comes from the high-visibility vests that French drivers must keep in their cars.
What’s next
Final turnout figures for Saturday had not been reported in the sources reviewed. This story will be updated when official numbers are released.
