PARIS (Reuters) - Thousands of
people marched on Saturday in Paris and other cities and dozens were arrested
as France’s “yellow vest” movement staged its 15th consecutive weekend of
demonstrations against the government.
Some 11,600 people joined the
protests nationwide, including 4,000 in the capital, the Interior Ministry
said. That was up from 10,200 last week, with 3,000 in Paris.
Demonstrations have generally
got smaller since a peak in December when the French capital saw some of the
worst rioting, vandalism and looting in decades.
The protests — named after the
fluorescent jackets French motorists have to carry in their cars — began in
mid-November over rising fuel prices and the cost of living but morphed into a
broader movement against President Emmanuel Macron and his pro-business
reforms.
Fourteen people were arrested
in Paris, but protesters marched mostly peacefully through the capital’s
wealthier neighborhoods surrounded by a heavy police presence.
Some 15 people were also
arrested in the central city of Clermont-Ferrand and potentially dangerous
objects were seized ahead of a march in which police said 2,500 participated.
The movement, which
crystallized common complaints against taxes and high living costs rather than
shared political views, has faced increased infighting as some members have
sought to run in upcoming European Parliament elections.
It has, however, posed the
biggest challenge to Macron’s authority since he came to office in May 2017.
His popularity has recovered
from lows reached in the wake of violent clashes during protests in December
after he launched a series of debates across the country aimed at reconnecting
with voters particularly in rural areas.
Macron received a mostly warm
welcome on Saturday at Paris’ annual farm show, taking selfies with the public
and chatting with farmers as he strolled for hours among the crowd and animals.
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