The Yellow Vests rely on the arrival of spring to mobilise even more in the street within two weeks of the end of the Great National Debate launched by Emmanuel Macron.
The “yellow Vests” will once again protest on Saturday in France for an act 16 presented as a prelude to a “big month” of mobilisation on the 9th and especially on March 16th to mark the end of the Great debate and the four months of the social movement.
“You are going to have a month of March where you will not sleep much, Emmanuel Macron” said Eric Drouet, one of the movement’s figures , in a video posted on Friday.
“We have a very big March 16th coming, more organised than ever, more motivated than ever with many regions, many countries that will go to Paris. I hope you (Emmanuel Macron) are ready. We are, we are waiting for this date with impatience.”
Emmanuel Macron calls for a return to calm
Since Bordeaux , Emmanuel Macron, hated by the “Yellow Vests”, has called for a “return to calm”, a few days after denouncing the “democracy of the riot”.
Saturday will be held the now traditional weekly events in the four corners of the country. In Lille, organisers have called the “Yellow Vests” of neighboring countries (Belgium, England, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany), to “converge” to the northern metropolis.
In Bar-le-Duc, the prefecture of the Meuse , which fears overflows, has issued an order prohibiting the sale and transport of “combustible and / or corrosive products, fuels and flammable gas”, “firecrackers, pieces of fireworks and flares “and” spray paint “.
In Paris, a 12 km course starting from the Arc de Triomphe was declared in the prefecture.
A Facebook group calls for him to “block the place of the Star for as long as possible” and “back to basics by not declaring the demonstrations to find this spontaneous side that scared the government.” “No more pacifism,” he says.
Fairground organisations have also called for action against the 19th April 2017 order threatening their profession.
March 16th, “key” date
The Minister of the Interior has relativised the extent of the latest mobilisations. “Every week there are 40,000, 50,000 people demonstrating (…). That’s the reality, that is to say deep down the world, “said Christophe Castaner on France 2 .
Il n’y a pas de démocratie de l’émeute.
Moi, je crois à la démocratie du débat. pic.twitter.com/crwrEtpzvy— Christophe Castaner (@CCastaner) March 1, 2019
November 17th, they were 282 000 in the street for act 1 of this movement born on social networks to denounce the rise in taxes and for more purchasing power. Last Saturday, there were 46,600 , according to the authorities, to denounce the government’s policy and demand the resignation of Emmanuel Macron. Figures regularly disputed by the protesters.
“They have to ask themselves a simple question: what trace, basically, they want to leave? It is an exceptional social movement, enough has been said about it. Now, the only trace is that of repeated violence, “added Mr. Castaner.
Relaunch the mobilization
But the “yellow vests” intend on the contrary to revive their mobilisation.
Priscillia Ludosky, initiator of a petition against rising fuel prices , called for a sit-in from March 8 in Paris “to install our roundabouts in the heart of the capital” and to present the demands collected on their platform the-true-debate.fr, alternative to the Great governmental debate.
This appointment, dubbed “Decisive Act: we will not move,” will be preceded by “blocking actions in the week before,” she added, laconically evoking “three big actions.” A video trailer calls for “besieging Paris from March 8”.
But the deadline for working the “yellow vests” is that of March 16th, the day after the closing of the Great National Debate, castigated as a “masquerade” and a “communication campaign”, and watch the anniversary of the four months movement.
For Eric Drouet, “the 16th will really be a key in this movement. Many people decided to go to Paris, this time taking the time to get organized in advance. There is a momentum for that date that will make some noise “.
Thursday, he said to have “returns from Holland, Belgium, Italy, all regions of France” and also mentioned possible actions in March against Starbucks and Facebook.
“Do not let go,” he exhorted, “It’s a war of attrition.”
