FRANCE STILL BURNING: FRENCH PROTEST MAY SPREAD ACROSS EUROPE
Written by Michael Thervil
[FRANCE PROTEST EUROPE] With over and estimated 410,000 French citizens engaging in 300 protests the French government across the county, French unions are estimated that close to 1 million people are actively protesting the French government over rising costs, failing schools, and food insecurity. While protests have increased in volatility, aggression, and violence, it has also become deadly due to at least one person being killed and another suffering a heart attack. It's been reported that police officers are facing large stones being thrown at them. In response police are deploying tear gas, water cannons, and other non-lethal means to subdue aggressive protestors. While most protestors haven’t engaged in violence many of those that fall into this category have engaged in arson, looting, and vandalism.
Quietly spoken, many governmental bodies and agencies within the euro-zone fear that the protest in France may spark similar protest within their countries as well. The reason for their fear is not only due to the protest occurring within France, but the protest activity occurring in India called the “Cockroach Protest” in which Indian youth are protesting the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Then there is the student-led protest that is also occurring in Serbia which resulted in the ousting of the now former President Aleksandar Vučić. The Italian government who deployed 500 troops is also facing widespread protest along with Belgium, Portugal, Spain, and Albania. The common denominator that all of these protests have in common is the protest against both the cost of living and the living conditions of each of the respective countries' citizens.
French authorities have reported that they have arrested well over 1,000 protestors and that the number of protestors is expected to continue to rise if protestors continue to demonstrate in the streets of France. To date, 70,000 police officers have been deployed across France. Out of that 70,000, 53 police officers have been severely injured by protestors and 3,000 businesses and schools have also reported either being vandalized, looted, or outright destroyed by protestors. While many protestors are non-violent, there have been a significant number of cases where French police have confiscated weapons that range from metal balls, improvised weapons, to airsoft weapons from protestors.
With no end in sight in terms of protest in France, the “Yellow Vest”, an infamous group of protesters who are anti-macron, are calling for a "Halloween Protest” on October 31. The proposed Halloween Protest will include sit-ins and rallies across France in the name of public freedom and to counter the perceived “authoritarian drift” of President Emmanuel Macron.
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