The demonstrators who call themselves Gilets Jaunes — the Yellow Vests — staged a fourth day of disruption Tuesday on roads across France as they protested fuel tax hikes.
A summary of the issue and the events:
What are they protesting?
Taxes have been raised on gasoline and diesel fuel, principally as an environmental measure to encourage less use of fossil fuels.
Taxes on diesel fuel have gone up 7 euro cents (nearly 8 U.S. cents) and are to keep climbing in the coming years, Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne has said. The tax on gasoline is to increase 4 euro cents. Gasoline currently costs about 1.64 euros a liter in Paris ($7.06 a gallon), and diesel is slightly less.
The protesters are demanding a freeze on the taxes, which they say disproportionately hurt the working class, protest representative Benjamin Cauchy said on France’s RMC radio.
How are they protesting?
They are blocking traffic in high-profile areas and near fuel depots. On Saturday, the crowds were estimated at nearly 300,000 at hundreds of sites. On Monday, the number had dropped to 27,000, according to Interior Minister Christophe Castaner.
Are the protests peaceful?
A protester was struck and killed Saturday by a driver who panicked upon coming upon a roadblock in the Savoie region. French press reports Sunday said the driver was charged with manslaughter and released.
By Monday, 528 people had been injured — 17 seriously, Castaner said. The figure did not include 92 police officers who were injured, two of them seriously.
While the demonstrations have shrunk considerably since the weekend, Castaner said the past two days have seen “a multiplication of violent acts, racist acts, anti-Semitic acts and vandalism.”
He also spoke of “aggressions, fights, knife-slashing” taking place, including among the protesters.
What has been the government response?
France’s embattled President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday defended the fuel tax hikes but called for “dialogue” to calm tensions.
In his first comments about the protests, Macron acknowledged that it’s “normal” that people are expressing frustration.
He said he’s trying to “change habits” by weaning the French off fossil fuels, “which is never simple.” He reiterated promises of subsidies for low-income households to buy cleaner cars or switch to cleaner home heating methods.
Why “Yellow Vests”?
The protesters are wearing neon yellow vests that all French drivers are supposed to have in their cars.
A law that took effect in 2008 requires a “high-visibility upper-body garment” to be within reach inside the passenger compartment in case the driver has to get out of the immobilized vehicle.