what to expect for the new mobilization this Saturday?
The “Yellow Vests and Angry Citizens” collective called for a demonstration in central Paris. Another gathering is expected to take place in the region this Saturday, January 7.
Four years after the movement’s emergence – undoubtedly the most vital challenge suffered during Macron’s first five-year term – the yellow vests still show color. At least, some of them hope to relaunch their mobilization on the occasion of the first Saturday of this year.
• What routes are planned in Paris?
The route announced by the demonstrators was confirmed by the Prefectural Police. The meeting is set for this Saturday from 11 a.m., placing de Breteuil in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The procession should start around 2pm to 2.30pm to reach the Pacific battalion’s quarters, in the Bercy sector in the 12th arrondissement.
In detail, the procession must follow the following route: avenue de Breteuil, place Henri Queuille, boulevard Pasteur, place des 5 Martyrs du Lycée Buffon, rue du Château, place de Catalunya, rue Vercingétorix, rue Jean Zay, rue Froidevaux, place Denfert -Rochereau , boulevard Saint-Jacques, boulevard Auguste Blanqui, place d’Italie, boulevard Vincent Auriol, pont de Bercy and boulevard de Bercy. The event is scheduled to end at 19.00 WIB.
• Who called to protest?
Several calls were made on Facebook with the same slogan: “everyone in Paris on Saturday 7 January”, to protest pension reforms, inflation, but also against the government’s use of article 49.3. The main collective behind this movement is “Yellow Vests and angry citizens”
In fact, this collective has been calling for people to come together every 15 days for several months under the name “Call of the People”.
• Did the demonstration worry the authorities?
“No elevator, no particular problem”, we assured BFMTV of a police source in the middle of the week. Several hundred people are expected this Saturday and security measures have not been communicated to by the Prefectural Police.
Should we fear excesses or violence during this mobilization day? “We are nobody to tell people how to demonstrate. Everyone is an actor in his struggle,” replied BFMTV, one of the organizers of the demonstration, speaking on behalf of the collective.
BFMTV and RMC guests this Friday, government spokesman Olivier Véran believes the situation is “very different” compared to 2018, the year the social movement emerged. “French taxes have fallen, jobs are paid better, the middle class is valued, Smic increased stronger than inflation over the last two years, we have increased social rights”, he said.Explain.
• A jump for movement?
The organizers emphasize that participation in this event will be in accordance with the ability of the community. They do not exclude that some of its members mobilize in other cities, otherwise unable to go to the capital.
But officials spoke of particular enthusiasm for the January 7 call, even though the main mobilization page “All in Paris on January 7” gathered just nearly 700 people interested in the event and 217 participants on Friday night.
“I think there will be a lot of people because of the denial of democracy, inflation, bills. It’s social nonsense”, explained one organizer, however, noting that the dozen or so roundabouts held across France in the past have been “reactivated” recently in view of the event this.
The organizers explained that this event was in line with what had been held for one year.
“We expect the demonstrators “fought for decades, yellow vests, anti-health passes and people who came today because of the economic and social context”, he added.
Organizers will call tomorrow to “continue mobilization throughout the month of January, culminating in the January 21 demonstration and calls for a general strike”. He lamented the fact that union leaders spent more time “eating with Macron” than mobilizing. “We hope the central union will move because the base is motivated,” he said.
