The violent riots and attacks in Paris began on 17 November as a protest against the Macron government’s carbon tax. Violence was pronounced in Paris on 1 December and forced the closure of museums, galleries, high-end auction houses and shops.
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| A tax on the weather is unpopular in France, where unemployment remains high and taxes are higher. |
The breakdown of civil order has continued for 16 days, Organizers are calling for another surge in protests on 8 December. Three people have died, and 263 people were injured nationwide, with 133 injured in the capital, including 23 members of the security forces.
The list of grievances has expanded, to cover the government program of economic reform; high taxation and social injustice in general. The yellow vests charge the government with favoring the rich and the business community that can afford to pay increased fuel taxes.
The Interior Ministry said 136,000 people protested nationwide on 1 December. Cell phone service has aided the territorial expansion. Disruptions have been reported at border crossing points with Spain. Some provincial authorities have decried the President’s lack of touch with the problems of the provinces.
After the weekend riots, the French police have requested army assistance to restore order. About 10,000 French soldiers are assigned to guard monuments and sensitive locations around France, but they have not been ordered to intervene.
President Macron insists he will not backdown by cancelling the carbon tax. Another weekend of disorders would be a cumulatively significant drag on commercial activity and deterrent to tourism. The economic impact empowers Macron’s opposition which might force Macron to make concessions.
Powerful anti-green interests are financing the yellow vests (protesters). The vandalism and looting on Saturday, 1 December, suggest that trained provocateurs joined the protests and were responsible for inciting the violence.
The French police have expressed more solidarity with the protesters than they have with the government that employs them. If this trend continues, Macron may be forced to use the army to maintain peace and to restore order. Will the army side with the public or with its masters? Now that is the question isn’t it?
It makes me wonder what role Macron's decision to reintroduce compulsory service is playing in the protests (haven't seen anything about that one in a while) and how the current servicemen feel about the idea.
There are two ways to deal with the levy – compulsion or pay enough to attract quality people. France didn't want to pay. They have the Foreign Legion and service earns citizenship. Most of the current legionnaires come from Eastern Europe and Russia and service in the Legion gets them out of an endemically bad situation. The Legion vets their people very carefully and spends the time that it takes to weed out people that they really wouldn't want.
Just another day in Socialist Utopian Europe!
Geeze, I don't know why we don't just see the light here in the US and be more like them…
-Kle.
Noteable how cell phones are use to facilitate this unrest. We've seen the same use of cell phones and social media here by certain groups to coordinate protests, flash mobs and other "spontaneous" activities. It's surprising that the French government hasn't limited cell sites to prevent this. I have no doubt the feds here have the ability and a plan on when, where and for who they intend to shut down our cellular and wireless networks.
I would hope the Army sides with the people, but it's anybody's guess at this time…..
The French need a Donald Trump.
The Donkey Party is trying to do that here. They're working diligently to bring it to you. Don't you feel the Bern? What about the iconic, Rep. Alexandria Ocassio-Cortez D-NY? She comes up with a new brilliant utterance almost every day. She and Spartacus will lead you to the new frontier!
The experts in taking down cell networks are the Israelis. Everyone who does that these days buys the gear from them. Portable, reliable and effective. The cell networks go down locally before they hit a house so that people can't call out and can't use them to detonate bombs.
Agreed. The government can repeal the weather tax or they can double down and also tax headwinds.
They need something more extreme than Donald Trump – Charles (The Hammer) Martel needs to be exhumed and they need to use his DNA to clone another one. He needs to drive the wicked Muslims and international bankers from France.
I guess this time we will go in and save them from themselves.
>drive the wicked Muslims and international bankers from France
So long as we don't take them in here in the US.
Will be interesting to see what happens. I wish the French people luck.
You know we would. It's what we do. If we embrace terrorists and freaks, bringing in the dregs of Europe would be something that the Democrats would push hard.
Obama would have.
I think Trump will sit this one out. Macron has been nasty to him.
They need it.
The guillotine may be recalled from the ash heap of history to restore some respect for the people in high government circles. Any day the army or police or both could turn on the elite, and then what? Indeed, it seems we will at the least see a change in government soon.
From what I hear there's a mix of right and left groups working alongside each other in France. Not because they agree but because chaos is good for both of them. Maybe they act together long enough to topple the government and then turn on each other?
Meanwhile in Poland, as they say in the memes, not a single Allah was ackbarred.
Poland and Hungary are under attack from the EU for not going with the aloha snack bar theme in society. My sense is that the theme in Germany and France is that misery loves company.
Eventually right and left will need a showdown in France – and maybe a guillotine?
La Marseillaise
Allons enfants de la patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé !
Let's go children of the fatherland,
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us tyranny's
Bloody flag is raised!
I'm sure the Israelis are capable of controlling local cell site access. But such gear is essentially localized jamming equipment and the inverse square law means it will always be limited in range. Controlling cell phone use over a large city like LA or an entire county requires a different method and would almost certainly involve the cooperation or cercion of the cell providers.
You're 100% correct, but those cell providers already bend the knee to triangulate cell signals, etc. There is a micro vs macro problem, but both are 100% doable. The other issue is one of cell phone priority. Those can be issued and the algorithm determines who is allowed to get through and who is blocked. I've used that myself when working for government.
La Macronne backed down and abandoned his absurd weather tax and at last the truth on Climate Skulduggery's beginning to show.
The French army doesn't seem to keen on Macron, interestingly.
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