After the weak mobilisation of last week, the 22nd Saturday of demonstration of the challenge of yellow Vests is preparing. Between Paris, Toulouse, Lille and at the call of the various figures of the movement and other associations, with an important police and areas prohibited by the prefects, what to expect this Saturday, April 13?
Last Saturday, the weekly mobilisation of the Yellow Vests had recorded its lowest participation since the beginning of the movement. Only 21,300 demonstrators gathered throughout France, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior. Should we see there a sign of weakening of this protest which lasts for 22 weeks?
Between demonstrations declared or not in Paris, Toulouse, Lyon, reinforced devices and a great march for the right to protest, what should we expect this Saturday?
Toulouse, Paris, Lille …
Two cities seem to have particularly attracted the interest of Yellow Vests this week: Paris, as every Saturday, and Toulouse. On Facebook, a public event wants to make this city the “national capital of yellow vests” . It has 1,400 participants and more than 4,000 people interested in mobilisation.
As always, it is very difficult to predict how many demonstrators will actually attend the demonstrations this Saturday.
The demonstration, not declared, must leave towards midday of the center, close to the place of the Capitol which was again prohibited to the demonstrators by a prefectural decree. Some emblematic figures of the movement, Maxime Nicolle (Fly Rider) and Priscilla Ludosky, will be present. Eric Drouet, another standard-bearer of the protest, announced his presence at the end of March.
Another mobilisation is also planned in the North, in Lille, at the invitation of Jérôme Rodrigues, the Yellow Vest who was wounded during a demonstration by a shot of Flash-Ball and who lost an eye. The demonstration was declared: on Friday 12th in Dunkirk on the station square at 8.30 pm, then Saturday 13th at 12.30 pm in the Republic Square.
A march is also planned in the center of Montpellier at 2pm, under the slogan: “We will not give in to repression! “ While anticasseurs law will apply for the first time to the movement.
In Paris too, the law anti-collectors will be in the sights of the demonstrators. A first procession, declared by yellow vests for “the defense of the right to demonstrate” and “the abrogation of the law liberticide” must go to the place of the Republic from which will then start a march for “the freedom to demonstrate “ , organised by several associations (including LDH, Amnesty, Attac, Unef, SOS Racisme …).
Police device and ban on demonstrations
Like these last weekends, the Prefecture of Police has issued a decree prohibiting any gathering of yellow vests on the Champs-Elysées and the perpendicular streets. In Lyon, a device was set up to prohibit access to a large area of the city. The prefecture forbids any manifestation in the hypercentre.
Concilier ordre public, liberté de manifester et liberté de circulation pour tous, c’est l’objectif de l’arrêté qu’a signé le préfet. Il interdira les #manifestations le samedi 13 avril 2019 de 12h à 20h dans le périmètre ci-dessous⬇️ pic.twitter.com/MItA4HxghK
— Préfet de région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes et du Rhône (@prefetrhone) April 11, 2019
Regarding Toulouse, the Haute-Garonne prefecture forbids any demonstration or gathering on Capitol Square, this Saturday, April 13th. “Considering that the movement of yellow vests has launched a national appeal ” Tous à Toulouse “ […] , in the absence of identified organizer […] , only the prohibition of this gathering is likely to effectively prevent the disorders to public order likely to intervene, “ says the prefect in his order.
The Minister of the Interior, for its part, insisted on the implementation from Saturday of the new legislative framework, indicating having sent this Friday morning “a circular to all the prefects to invite them to prepare the proper use of these devices, to work with prosecutors, prosecutors’ .
In the West: regional gathering in Laval
As Cédric Jung, one of the emblematic figures of the movement in Mayenne, assures us: “Mayenne yellow vests are not dead. “ Also, a demonstration ” Grand Ouest “ is scheduled this Saturday in Laval .
According to the fifteen Mayenne organizers, “Bretillians (Ille-et-Vilaine), Sarthois, yellow jackets Loire-Atlantique and” street-medic “of Rennes” should join the “hundred Mayennais” . They hope “at least 500 protesters” .
Other yellow vests have nevertheless announced their intention to demonstrate in the city centre of Nantes , from 1 pm, at the crossroads of tram lines at Commerce. A convergence is envisaged with the mobilisation of the unions, who will protest from 2 pm in front of the prefecture for the freedom to protest.
In Vitre, yellow vests had planned to take advantage of the carnival of Les Gais Lurons to parade disguised but after discussion with the organisers of the popular festival, they finally decided that this was not the time to claim. “After discussion, we realised that the Gay Lurons had a festive spirit and it was not the time to claim something. We are not immune to a problem, “ explained the organisers.
