Heavy police and protester clashes have continued in Paris, even during an emergency national address by President Emmanuel Macron who called for calm. Source: The Australian.
Mr Macron, speaking from the Élysée Palace on Sunday evening (Monday Australia time), said: “We all feel anger and shame tonight”, while several kilometres away several hundred protesters remained gathered around the Place de la République in Paris.
Police were using tear gas and stun grenades to try and control the unruly crowd as darkness fell.
But Mr Macron said in his national address that people shouldn’t confuse protesters’ legitimate demands with “those who destroyed, broke, and looted”.
Describing the hooligans and looters as “far left factious individuals”, Mr Macron called on political parties, professional and trade union organisations to condemn the violence without ambiguity. He emphasised that those responsible would be harshly dealt with.
“Looking at these images, we have all asked ourselves: what was going through their minds? How can French people do this to France?” Mr Macron said.
“Nothing justifies it, nothing explains it, nothing excuses it. Those who looted will have to pay back for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable.”
The fallout from Saturday’s widespread violence, destruction of public buildings and rampaging and looting of luxury shops shocked the nation, but continued sporadically into Sunday.
Over the weekend’s violent attacks, 2400 people were arrested while nine of 997 police officers and firefighters who were injured remained in a serious condition, the Interior Ministry reported.
In Limoges, about 7000 residents rallied around the badly damaged historic town hall that had been set alight by protesters.
Saturday’s protests had been promoted as “yellow and youth”, bringing together the Gilets Jaunes movement from eight years ago, which had protested about the cost of fuel, with student protesters who took to the streets a fortnight ago to complain about school facilities and opportunities for young people.
Their joint grievances were widespread but pivoted around the cost of living and rising inflation.
But the marches turned violent, with gangs of people who had planned for clashes using face masks, goggles and updating an app detailing in real time the movement of police.
FULL STORY
Emmanuel Macron asks ‘how can French people do this to France?’, says nothing justifies ‘unbridled’ violence (By Jacquelin Magnay, The Australian)
