Thousands of ‘Yellow Vests’ protest again

PARIS, December 15 

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of French cities on Saturday in the fifth weekend of nationwide demonstrations against Macron’s government, despite calls to hold off after a gun attack in Strasbourg earlier this week.

In Paris, police were out in force to contain possible outbursts of violence. But several major stores, such as the Galeries Lafayette, were open to welcome Christmas shoppers.

Numbers were down compared to Saturday last week.

Teargas was fired at small groups of protesters in brief clashes with riot police near the Champs-Elysees.

The ‘Yellow Vest’ movement started in mid-November with protests at junctions and roundabouts against fuel tax increases, but quickly became a wider mobilisation against Macron’s economic policies. — Reuters