French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced Monday that “Yellow Vest” demonstrations will no longer be allowed in the Champs Elysees after protesters caused chaos in the tourist-heavy area over the weekend.
The Champs Elysees is not the only area where demonstrations will be banned moving forward. Protesters will not be permitted to gather in many of the neighborhoods that have been most impacted in Paris, Bordeaux and Toulouse by “Yellow Vest” activists for an unspecified period of time, Philippe said Monday. He also added that Paris police chief Michel Dulpuech will be replaced this week by prefect Didier Lallement.
Violent clashes erupted again Saturday as part of continuing protests by activists rebelling against Macron’s government. Saturday marked the 18th straight week of protests held by the “Yellow Vests,” who started the movement which began to demand fuel tax cuts but has since morphed into an expression of general discontent about the disparity between the country’s working and elite classes.
The burning of famed restaurant Fouquet’s on the Avenue Champs Elysees on Saturday was meant to be an attack on the French elite, Reuters reported, citing local papers. The landmark eatery is located next door to the Louis Vuitton flagship store on a coveted corner in the French capital. – READ MORE