Monday, December 3, 2018

LIVE VIDEOS - REVOLUTION IN FRANCE



Anti-Macron Protests Spread, Ambulance Workers Join Rebellion



Ambulance drivers demonstrate near the French National Assembly in Paris, on December 3, 2018, to protest against their working conditions and call for a withdrawal of the article 80 of the finance act on social security. (Photo by Lucas BARIOULET / AFP) (Photo credit should read LUCAS BARIOULET/AFP/Getty Images)
LUCAS BARIOULET/AFP/Getty
4:06






More than one hundred ambulance drivers protested in Paris Monday morning, as France’s President Emmanuel Macron faces mounting pressure from populous movements inspired by the Yellow Jackets.

Paramedics blocked the Place de la Concorde near the National Assembly in downtown Paris at 5:30 am local time, blaring their sirens and holding banners condemning government-mandated industry reforms, reports France Info.
Protesters set tires on fire in the street while others chanted “Macron resign!” according to the Associated Press. One protester held a placard reading “the State killed me.”
In solidarity with the Gilets Jaunes/Yellow Vests, who have protested a sharp tax rise in fuel every weekend for the past three weeks, some wore high-visibility vests.




Paris - Blocage surprise de plusieurs centaines d’ambulances devant l’Assemblée Nationale et sur la place de la Concorde.

2,619 people are talking about this

The protests are against Article 80 of the Macron government’s 2017 Social Security Budget, which reforms the financing of the social security system affecting how ambulances are paid for their service.
Hitherto in France, patients decided which ambulance company to use, but the reforms will see hospitals and clinics choosing which service to engage by tender, paying the costs directly.
Smaller ambulance firms fear larger companies will fix prices and force them out.
The bill will be presented to members of the National Assembly Monday for the final vote.
Jean-François, an ambulance firm owner who employs ten other drivers, told Le Figaro, “The problem goes well beyond the case of paramedics. There is a general sluggishness. It’s been 28 years since I started my business, we have not received an increase.”

Ambulance drivers demonstrate near the French National Assembly in Paris, on December 3, 2018, to protest against their working conditions and call for a withdrawal of the article 80 of the finance act on social security.  (Photo credit LUCAS BARIOULET/AFP/Getty)
Civic action against Macron’s reforms has also been picked up by high school pupils, with the Ministry of Education confirming that at least one hundred schools across France — in Marseille, Toulouse, Côte d’Azur (the French Riviera), and Seine-Saint-Denis — have been totally or partially shut down Monday morning by protesting students.
The French youths are reported to be mainly protesting against the education reforms, as well as against high taxes and in solidarity with the Yellow Jackets.

A high school student clashes with a riot police officer during a demonstration against French government Education reforms on December 3, 2018, in Bordeaux, southwestern France. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP/Getty Images)
France 3 reports that police used tear gas outside of the Arena High School in Toulouse, with students in the French Riviera calling for Macron to resign.
A few hundred young people mobilised in Aubervilliers, Seine-Saint-Denis, with pupils from Lycée Marcelin Berthelot in Pantin joining the movement.
French media reports that protests in the troubled high-migrant populated Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis to be destructive in nature, with material being set on fire in the street and cars overturned. Firefighters attempting to intervene were pushed back with projectiles thrown at them.


The civil unrest began on November 17th when the Yellow Vests protested across the country against rising fuel costs, inspired by Macron’s climate change agenda, with tax on diesel rising 23 per cent in just 12 months.
After the third weekend of protest in Paris, Macron met with government figures on Sunday to discuss how to deal with the expanding protests, a spokesman confirming that introducing a state of emergency was on the table.

A car burns outside the Lycee Professionnel Jean-Pierre Timbaud high school after being set ablaze by students protesting against French government Education reforms on December 3, 2018, in the north of Paris’s suburb of Aubervilliers. (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images)
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has cancelled his appearance at the COP24 climate change summit in Katowice, Poland, in preparation to announce measures to deal with the civil unrest and plans to meet with spokesmen from the Yellow Vest movement on Tuesday.
AFP reports that there will be a debate on the situation in the National Assembly on Wednesday, and a debate in the upper chamber, the Senate, on Thursday, while finance minister Bruno Le Maire is looking to speed up planned tax cuts and cuts to public spending in response to the riots.
However, Macron has maintained that he will not back down from his progressive climate change agenda and fuel duty will rise again in the new year.

Third “yellow vest” protest in France defies government crackdown

The third Saturday protest held by protesters, clad in yellow vests to show their opposition to French President Emmanuel Macron and his anti-worker policies, spread across France. In downtown Paris, the protesters faced an unprecedented police crackdown, the most violent since May 1968, when police assaults on student demonstrations triggered the French general strike.
The movement is rapidly developing into an international political protest against social inequality, the high cost of living, and the policies of austerity and war across Europe. After protests in France and Belgium, protesters also donned yellow vests to oppose state policies in Maastricht, Nijmegen and The Hague in the Netherlands. In France, protests broke out in Paris, Bordeaux, Rennes, Marseille, Toulouse, Dijon, Nantes, Nice, Strasbourg and Caen. They also took place at many highway toll booths and airports.
French police used violence and mass arrests in a failed attempt to intimidate the participants. Across France, there were 412 arrests, including 287 in Paris, where dozens were wounded. Since Saturday, 378 people have been placed in preventive detention, including 33 minors. In Marseille, where clashes with police lasted until the evening, 21 were arrested.
In Paris, riot police blocked traffic and shut down mass transit across much of the downtown area from 6 a.m., setting up identity checks and systematically searching protesters. At about 9 a.m., a few hours before the protests were scheduled to start, riot police began firing volleys of tear gas and assaulting protesters on the Place de l’Étoile, around the Arc de Triumph, at the western end of the Champs-Elysées avenue.
Protesters chanting “Macron resign” spread into streets adjacent to the Champs-Elysées, where they were assaulted by police. As they tried to build barricades, riot police responded by firing volleys of tear gas, as well as stun grenades, rubber bullets and water cannon.

Clashes rapidly erupted across the city. Cars, a LCL bank branch, the stock exchange and the Jeu de Paume art museum were burned, and the metal gates of the Tuileries gardens were smashed. Videos posted by protesters on social media showed some carrying out violent acts. These were most likely plainclothes policemen acting as provocateurs. They donned yellow vests and attacked luxury cars or shops, and then moved away to speak calmly and amiably to the police.
Reporters in Paris spoke to “yellow vest” protesters, who came from the far Paris suburbs and from the provinces, to oppose Macron. Pierre said, “I have been protesting since the start of the movement, but not in Paris, because I am from Vesoul in the Saône valley. I am here to protest against Macron and all his new taxes, and all the riot police who are tear-gassing us, though we are trying to protest peacefully. But they are attacking us first. That is not correct.”
Anthony and Marie said that Macron’s resort to police violence showed his own bankruptcy: “When one reaches the point where people are being constantly tear-gassed, or they are being kettled by police because they can find no other way of resolving the matter, it means there has been a total failure. He has totally lost control … And the more we protest, the worse it gets.”
About the alleged presence of far-right parties among the “yellow vest” demonstrators, an electrician participating in the protests said: “Personally I have not seen them at all. But I think that even if they tried, they would not succeed, because the people are here, and we are sick and tired of always having to deal with the National Front,” France’s neo-fascist party.
Referring to Macron’s election victory against neo-fascist presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, he added that the prominence of the neo-fascists meant “for example that in election runoffs, we are always forced to vote for someone we don’t want to vote for.”
An ambulance driver said, “The cost of living always rises, but some people are doing great … like our congressmen who say, ‘I can’t dine on the Champs Elysées for less than 200 euros. I doubled the salaries of my advisors because you can’t live on just 5,000 euros per month.’ Well, then they should give me those 5,000 euros a month, because I can live like a king with that much money.”
On the separate demonstration organised by the Stalinist General Confederation of Labor (CGT), in an attempt to divide the workers and prevent some from joining the “yellow vest” protests, the ambulance driver said: “The trade unions are shit, they serve no useful purpose. They are paid for by the state, they do not represent the interests of the workers. … They are servants of the government, they are paid by the government. That is why I am not a member of any union.”
A former soldier told the WSWS that he opposed wars, and that they were being financed through attacks on basic social spending: “What has happened in Syria is a tragedy, as in the Ivory Coast, too. It’s like the Gulf War that I fought in, which is essentially the same thing: it’s all about looting the wealth of those countries. And then it triggers religious wars between the Sunnis and the Shiites in some countries … But if there are inter-religious conflicts like that, ultimately it is the fault of the European countries, who colonised those countries for years.”
The ruling class in France and internationally is terrified of the growing “yellow vest” movement, which has received support from striking workers including in the refineries, ports and hospitals, as well as among students. Just as a half century ago, when the police crackdown at the Sorbonne triggered the largest general strike in European history, they fear a mass movement of the working class. While clumsily trying to win over the protesters with meaningless phrases, they also boast that they are planning repression.
Yesterday, Macron called an emergency meeting of the cabinet and of the “relevant services,” after several of his ministers called on Saturday for the re-imposition of a state of emergency. Macron ordered the Interior Ministry to discuss “the necessity … of adapting operations for the maintenance of public order in the coming days.”
He also called for Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to meet with all France’s parliamentary parties, acceding to a demand from Marine Le Pen, of the neo-fascist National Rally (RN). She asked Macron “who has let this situation get worse to an incredible extent, to receive the leaders of the opposition parties, the first of whom is the National Rally.”
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said he had to recognise “objectively” that the government had “badly handled a number of public relations issues.” He added, “Do you want me to tell you that everything is going well and that there are no problems? That would seem idiotic, and above all I don’t want to lie to you.”
Workers should give no credence to the manoeuvres of a police state, which represents the financial aristocracy and is planning a state of emergency, directly targeting social anger in the working class. Mass opposition in France and across Europe is emerging with explosive force. The only way forward is the mobilisation of workers throughout France and the development of a socialist and internationalist movement to transfer state power to the working class.


WALL STREET AND THE SUPER RICH PREPARE BUNKERS FOR THE REVOLUTION
BANKSTERS AND BILLIONAIRES PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
REVOLUTION IS IN LOOMING AND WILL MARCH RIGHT DOWN WALL STREET FIRST.

"A series of recent polls in the US and Europe have shown a sharp growth of popular disgust with capitalism and support for socialism. In May of 2017, in a survey conducted by the Union of European Broadcasters of people aged 18 to 35, more than half said they would participate in a “large-scale uprising.” Nine out of 10 agreed with the statement, “Banks and money rule the world.”

*
"The ruling class was particularly terrified by the teachers’ walkouts earlier this year because the biggest strikes were organized by rank-and-file educators in a rebellion against the unions, reflecting the weakening grip of the pro-corporate organizations that have suppressed the class struggle for decades."
*“The yearly income of a typical US household dropped by a massive 12 percent, or $6,400, in the six years between 2007 and 2013. This is just one of the findings of the 2013 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances released Thursday, which documents a sharp decline in working class living standards and a further concentration of wealth in the hands of the rich and the super-rich.”
*
"The American phenomenon of record stock values fueling an ever greater concentration of wealth at the very top of society, while the economy is starved of productive investment, the social infrastructure crumbles, and working class living standards are driven down by entrenched unemployment, wage-cutting and government austerity policies, is part of a broader global process."
*"A defining expression of this crisis is the dominance of financial speculation and parasitism, to the point where a narrow international financial aristocracy plunders society’s resources in order to further enrich itself."

OBAMA –CLINTONOMICS FOR THE SUPER RICH


"Between 2002 and 2015 annual earnings for the bottom 90 percent of Americans rose by only 4.5 percent, while earnings for the top 1 percent grew by 22.7 percent, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Under the Obama administration, more than 90 percent of income gains since the so-called “recovery” began have gone to the top one
percent."

 



 “Our entire crony capitalist system, Democrat and Republican 

alike, has become a kleptocracy approaching par with third-world 

hell-holes. This is the way a great country is raided by its elite.” ----

Karen McQuillan THEAMERICAN THINKER.com







THE BILLIONAIRES’S GLOBALIST DEMOCRAT PARTY FOR WIDER OPEN BORDERS

 

THE TRUE COST OF ALL THAT “CHEAP” LABOR IS PASSED ALONG TO THE MIDDLE CLASS.

 

"This doesn't include the costs of illegal immigration to society, which provides health care, housing, education, child care, and legal services to illegal aliens.  Even though immigration advocates claim that illegal aliens do indeed pay taxes, the dollar amount pales in comparison to the cost of the many services they receive."

 

https://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-globalist-democrat-party-for-wider_29.html

 

Meanwhile, despite the highest taxes in the nation, California is $1.3 trillion in debt – unemployment is at a staggering 11%.  California's wacko giveaways to illegals include in-state tuition, amounting to $25 million of financial aid.  Nearly a million illegals have California driver's licenses.  L.A. County has 144% more registered voters than there are residents of legal voting age.  Clearly, illegals are illegally voting

WALL STREET AND THE SUPER RICH PREPARE BUNKERS FOR THE REVOLUTION
BANKSTERS AND BILLIONAIRES PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
REVOLUTION IS IN LOOMING AND WILL MARCH RIGHT DOWN WALL STREET FIRST.

"A series of recent polls in the US and Europe have shown a sharp growth of popular disgust with capitalism and support for socialism. In May of 2017, in a survey conducted by the Union of European Broadcasters of people aged 18 to 35, more than half said they would participate in a “large-scale uprising.” Nine out of 10 agreed with the statement, “Banks and money rule the world.”


"The ruling class was particularly terrified by the teachers’ walkouts earlier this year because the biggest strikes were organized by rank-and-file educators in a rebellion against the unions, reflecting the weakening grip of the pro-corporate organizations that have suppressed the class struggle for decades."

“The yearly income of a typical US household dropped by a massive 12 percent, or $6,400, in the six years between 2007 and 2013. This is just one of the findings of the 2013 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances released Thursday, which documents a sharp decline in working class living standards and a further concentration of wealth in the hands of the rich and the super-rich.”

"The American phenomenon of record stock values fueling an ever greater concentration of wealth at the very top of society, while the economy is starved of productive investment, the social infrastructure crumbles, and working class living standards are driven down by entrenched unemployment, wage-cutting and government austerity policies, is part of a broader global process."

"A defining expression of this crisis is the dominance of financial speculation and 

parasitism, to the point where a narrow international financial aristocracy 

plunders society’s resources in order to further enrich itself."


PHONY “POPULIST” BERNIE SANDERS

For all of his talk about leading “political revolution” against

the “billionaire class,” Sanders backed Clinton, a shill of Wall Street and

the Pentagon, who has nothing but contempt for the tens of millions

of workers devastated by the 2008 financial crash and Obama’s pro-
corporate policies.


AMERICA'S ROAD TO REVOLUTION



"This dangerous power vacuum has fueled frustration and created an
entirely new breed of disenfranchised voters who are fed up with the status
quo. These are real people, their anger is palpable, and it’s not going away
anytime soon."

 Paris in Flames: Violence, ‘Insurrection’ in Third Week of Yellow Jacket Protests
yellow
GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP/Getty Images
3:36

In the third straight week of protests by the Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Jackets) movement, hundreds of protestors were arrested as violence and arson took place across the country with smoke blanketing the Paris skyline in what has been called an “insurrection”.

While protests took place across France, much of the violence and arson took place in the French capital in what was seen as a further escalation of violence from the previous protest last Saturday.
According to French broadcaster BFMTV, more than 287 people were arrested in Paris alone, many of them arrested at the Place de l’Étoile/Place Charles De Gaulle, the location of the iconic Arc de Triomphe where much of the clashes between members of the police and the Yellow Jackets took place.

A demonstrator opens his arms in front of a fire during a protest of Yellow vests against rising oil prices and living costs, near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, on December 1, 2018.  (Photo: GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP/Getty Images)
Much of the violence has been blamed on vandals, called “casseurs” in French, who are believed to come from a variety of backgrounds including far-left anarchists, far-right extremists, and petty criminals from the heavily migrant-populated suburbs surrounding the French capital.
Some of the protestors caused controversy for spraypainting graffiti on the Arc de Triomphe itself, with some calling it evidence that those behind it were likely far-left extremists with some of the graffiti stating “the ultra-right will lose” and “Justice for Adama” — a reference to the 2016 death of Adama Traoré, who activists claim was murdered by a Gendarmes officer.






View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter

« Justice pour Adama », « l’ultra droite perdra ».... pas de doute sur le fait que les auteurs des dégradations soient d’extrême gauche.

1,105 people are talking about this

Later in the day, a group of casseurs also set fire to a building near the iconic monument, which was not the only arson attack as 190 fires in total were dealt with during the day by Paris firefighters including six buildings set aflame altogether.
While there were no confirmed reports of fatalities, 110 people in total were wounded in the day-long violence, including 17 police officers. One of the most seriously injured was a man who lost several fingers on his hand due to the explosion of a pyrotechnic device.
Arson attacks also took place in other cities across France, most notably in the department of Haute-Loire where protestors set the local prefecture building on fire after one protester allegedly threw a molotov cocktail through the window.


French interior minister Christophe Castaner reacted to the escalation of violence saying he has been monitoring the situation closely and has no “taboo” over declaring a national state of emergency should the need arise.
Castaner also told French media that authorities had identified at least 3,000 suspects connected with the various arson attacks and violence that took place.
“There are people who come from the extreme right, the extreme left, but there are also many people who came to Paris to vandalise,” Castaner said, and added that they were an “extreme minority, an insurrectional minority, they want to break everything, destroy everything. They are basically hooligans.”

A French firefighter walks towards flames as a Yellow vests demonstrator waves the French flag during protests against rising oil prices and living costs in the French capital Paris on December 1, 2018. (Photo: ALAIN JOCARD/AFP/Getty Images)
The word “insurrection” was also used by populist Rassemblement National (National Rally) leader Marine Le Pen, who took to Twitter to condemn the violence, saying: “The casseurs triggered an insurrectionary situation in Paris. Dear , you should leave the premises in order to allow the forces of the order to intervene and overcome these abuses.”
Ms Le Pen also called on President Emmanuel Macron to meet with leaders of the opposition parties in order to work on a resolution to the violence upon his return from the G20 summit in Argentina.
“I ask the President of the Republic, who has let this situation get worse in an incredible way, to receive the leaders of opposition political parties, at the forefront of which is the Rassemblement National, upon his return from Argentina,” she wrote.

AMERICA’S ROAD TO REVOLUTION will march down Wall Street first:
THE BANKSTER REGIME WILL BE TOPPLED AND MEXICO PUSHED OUT OF AMERICA’S OPEN BORDERS!


 "The report was drafted in conjunction with a survey conducted among nearly 1,000 banking and business executives, government officials and academics, which found that 93 percent of them feared a worsening of confrontations between the major powers in 2018. Fully 79 percent foresaw a heightened threat of a major “state-on-state” military conflict."

"One of the premier institutions of big business, JP Morgan Chase, issued an internal report on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the 2008 crash, which warned that another “great liquidity crisis” was possible, and that a government 

bailout on the scale of that effected by Bush and Obama will produce social unrest, “in light of the potential impact of central bank actions in driving inequality between asset owners and labor."

STARING IN THE FACE of AMERICA’S UNRAVELING and the ROAD TO REVOLUTION
It will more likely come on the heels of economic dislocation and dwindling wealth to redistribute.”
"The kind of people needed for violent change these days are living in off-the-grid rural compounds, or the “gangster paradise” where the businesses of drugs, guns, and prostitution are much more lucrative than “transforming” America along  Cuban lines." BRUCE THORNTON

There can be no resolution to any social problem confronting the population in the United States and internationally outside of a frontal assault on the wealth of the financial elite. 

 The political system is controlled by this social layer, which uses a portion of its economic plunder to bribe politicians and government officials, whether Democratic or Republican.

'This is the start of a revolution': Paris rioters steal police assault rifle, torch dozens of cars and vow to 'stay in the streets until Christmas' as fuel protests continue into the night and spread across France - and even to Holland

  • 'Yellow Vest' supporters staged fresh protests on the Champs-Elysees which leads to the Arc de Triomphe
  • They vowed to continue rioting until Christmas after riot police used tear gas and water cannon to fight back
  • Dozens of cars were torched, the Arc de Triomphe was graffitied and shops and houses were ransacked
  • French President Emmanuel Macron promised that protesters would be 'held responsible for their acts' 
  • It comes a week after rioters brought chaos to Paris in a movement against fuel prices and high living costs 
The centre of Paris was on lockdown tonight after masked protesters stole an assault rifle from police, clashed with riot squads and set fire to cars and Christmas trees on the Champs-Elysees in furious demonstrations against the French government.
Protesters said today's actions were 'the start of a revolution' worse than the mass strikes and occupation of universities and factories during the 1968 French Revolution when the country was on the cusp of civil war.
Fires and clouds of tear gas covered the French capital from early morning until late in the evening, in some of the worst violence ever seen in the French capital as more than 5,000 demonstrators brought chaos to Paris for the second week running.
As so-called Yellow Vest fuel price demonstrators marched along the opulent Avenue Foch near the Arc de Triomphe, home to embassies and luxury residences, they were joined by criminal groups included looters.
French President Emmanuel Macron has promised the protesters will be 'held responsible for their acts'.
Macron said today's demonstrations which have left dozens injured and hundreds arrested 'have nothing to do with the peaceful expression of a legitimate anger.' He said 'no cause justifies attacks on police or pillaging stores and burning buildings'.
Macron said he is holding an emergency government meeting Sunday on the protests. He spoke from the G20 summit being held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
French police confirmed there had been at least 224 arrests today during the protests for a series of offences, ranging from violent disorder to theft. There were 110 serious injuries, including more than 20 police officers.
A protester celebrates with his fists raised on top of a burning French police car after torching the vehicle in Paris tonight
A protester celebrates with his fists raised on top of a burning French police car after torching the vehicle in Paris tonight
A 'Yellow Vest' protester stands in front of three burning cars after torching them on Avenue Foch near the Arc de Triomphe as violent demonstrations continue into the night in Paris
A 'Yellow Vest' protester stands in front of three burning cars after torching them on Avenue Foch near the Arc de Triomphe as violent demonstrations continue into the night in Paris
A protester said this was the start of a revolution, worse than the French revolution in 1968 wheremassive general strikes as well as the occupation of universities and factories took place across France
A protester said this was the start of a revolution, worse than the French revolution in 1968 wheremassive general strikes as well as the occupation of universities and factories took place across France
A car completely engulfed in flames is burned in front of the Arc de Triomphe as police struggle to defuse the protests in Paris
A car completely engulfed in flames is burned in front of the Arc de Triomphe as police struggle to defuse the protests in Paris
A demonstrator launches a bicycle at a burning police car - which has partially melted under the heat - as night falls in the French capital
A demonstrator launches a bicycle at a burning police car - which has partially melted under the heat - as night falls in the French capital
A crowd of protesters smash a shop window during chaotic protests in the French capital which show no sign of slowing down as night falls in Paris
A crowd of protesters smash a shop window during chaotic protests in the French capital which show no sign of slowing down as night falls in Paris
Rows of parked cars were torched, engulfing entire streets in smoke this evening in Paris, where at least 80 people were injured
Rows of parked cars were torched, engulfing entire streets in smoke this evening in Paris, where at least 80 people were injured
Protesters let off red flares and charge at riot police in the French capita las violence continued into the night
Protesters let off red flares and charge at riot police in the French capita las violence continued into the night
Riot police officers stand in the middle of the damage of La Belle Armee restaurant which has been ransacked and torched in Paris tonight
Riot police officers stand in the middle of the damage of La Belle Armee restaurant which has been ransacked and torched in Paris tonight
French riot police are seen locking down a street through the shattered window of the La Belle Armee restaurant which was destroyed in the protests
French riot police are seen locking down a street through the shattered window of the La Belle Armee restaurant which was destroyed in the protests
Firefighters rescue two injured people laying on the ground, who were hurt during clashes in the streets of Paris tonight
Firefighters rescue two injured people laying on the ground, who were hurt during clashes in the streets of Paris tonight
Demonstrators protect themselves from water canons fired by French riot police as they retaliated against the Yellow Vests in Paris tonight
Demonstrators protect themselves from water canons fired by French riot police as they retaliated against the Yellow Vests in Paris tonight
'Yellow Vest' demonstrators sit on deck chairs amid the violence tonight as a van can be seen burning just behind them
'Yellow Vest' demonstrators sit on deck chairs amid the violence tonight as a van can be seen burning just behind them
A man hurls a brick next to the broken windows of the Musee de l'Orangerie and a burning vehicle on the Tuileries Garde as night falls in Paris
A man hurls a brick next to the broken windows of the Musee de l'Orangerie and a burning vehicle on the Tuileries Garde as night falls in Paris
A woman watches huge flames flickering outside of her window as violence erupted below her apartment in Paris
A woman watches huge flames flickering outside of her window as violence erupted below her apartment in Paris
A masked man in a yellow vest marches through the streets of the capital carrying the French flag over his shoulder after torching a van
A masked man in a yellow vest marches through the streets of the capital carrying the French flag over his shoulder after torching a van
A demonstrator ducks down to avoid water cannons sprayed by French riot place near the Place de l'Etoile this evening
A demonstrator ducks down to avoid water cannons sprayed by French riot place near the Place de l'Etoile this evening
Yellow vest and plain clothed protesters clash with French riot police in the country's capital this afternoon 
Yellow vest and plain clothed protesters clash with French riot police in the country's capital this afternoon 
Protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher diesel taxes, face off with French riot police during clashes at the Place de l'Etoile near the Arc de Triomphe today 
Protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher diesel taxes, face off with French riot police during clashes at the Place de l'Etoile near the Arc de Triomphe today 
One of the 'yellow vest' protesters, wearing one of the 'gilets jaunes' after which the movement is named, waves a French flag by the Arc de Triomphe on Saturday morning 
One of the 'yellow vest' protesters, wearing one of the 'gilets jaunes' after which the movement is named, waves a French flag by the Arc de Triomphe on Saturday morning 
A lone protester marches towards the chaos in front of the Arc de Triomphe waving a French, as flaming debris burns out on the street
A lone protester marches towards the chaos in front of the Arc de Triomphe waving a French, as flaming debris burns out on the street
Firefighters try to extinguish a burning car which had been turned over and set on fire during the protest in Paris on Saturday
Firefighters try to extinguish a burning car which had been turned over and set on fire during the protest in Paris on Saturday
Demonstrators gather in the centre of Paris waving a flag and lighting a flare with the Eiffel Tower in the background 
Demonstrators gather in the centre of Paris waving a flag and lighting a flare with the Eiffel Tower in the background 
Firemen race to extinguish a burning Mini which had been ignited during the protests this afternoon in Paris
Firemen race to extinguish a burning Mini which had been ignited during the protests this afternoon in Paris
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Riot police barge one protester in a high-vis vest with a riot shield while another officer hits a grounded campaigner with a baton (right) in Paris this afternoon
Riot police barge one protester in a high-vis vest with a riot shield while another officer hits a grounded campaigner with a baton (right) in Paris this afternoon
The remains of a Christmas tree are seen in Paris after it became a target of the Yellow Vest protesters in the French capital
The remains of a Christmas tree are seen in Paris after it became a target of the Yellow Vest protesters in the French capital
This picture taken from the top of the Arc de Triomphe shows a scattering of yellow-vested protesters and smoke rising over the Paris skyline as darkness starts to fall on the French capital after a day of violent protest 
This picture taken from the top of the Arc de Triomphe shows a scattering of yellow-vested protesters and smoke rising over the Paris skyline as darkness starts to fall on the French capital after a day of violent protest 
Demonstrators wearing hoods and yellow vests turn over a burning car on the Champs Elysees in the centre of Paris today 
Demonstrators wearing hoods and yellow vests turn over a burning car on the Champs Elysees in the centre of Paris today 
Demonstrators run by a burning fire near the Arc de Triomphe during a fresh protest which has seen Yellow Vest supporters clash with riot police and more than 100 people arrested so far on Saturday 
Demonstrators run by a burning fire near the Arc de Triomphe during a fresh protest which has seen Yellow Vest supporters clash with riot police and more than 100 people arrested so far on Saturday 
Firefighters wearing helmets and protective clothes spray water over a burning car in the centre of Paris amid violent protests
Firefighters wearing helmets and protective clothes spray water over a burning car in the centre of Paris amid violent protests
Riot police officers spray tear gas against demonstrators during Saturday's protest which follows rioting last weekend 
Riot police officers spray tear gas against demonstrators during Saturday's protest which follows rioting last weekend 
Smoke can be seen rising in the distance in a picture taken from the top of the Arc de Triomphe amid violent protests in Paris
Smoke can be seen rising in the distance in a picture taken from the top of the Arc de Triomphe amid violent protests in Paris
French riot police are drenched in spray paint after cans were hurled at them by yellow vest protesters in the capital today
French riot police are drenched in spray paint after cans were hurled at them by yellow vest protesters in the capital today
Masked protesters wearing yellow vests run from tear gas during the demonstration today. It comes a week after riots which President Macron likened to 'war scenes' 
Masked protesters wearing yellow vests run from tear gas during the demonstration today. It comes a week after riots which President Macron likened to 'war scenes' 
French riot police secure a street lined with Christmas decorations as they prepare for a violent onslaught of protesters this evening in Paris 
French riot police secure a street lined with Christmas decorations as they prepare for a violent onslaught of protesters this evening in Paris 
Paris protest: La Marseillaise echoes around Place Charles de Gaulle

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The Yellow Vest protesters gather metal objects to make into barricades during Saturday's protests in Paris 
The Yellow Vest protesters gather metal objects to make into barricades during Saturday's protests in Paris 
People wearing hoods, masks and yellow jackets - with one holding an umbrella - demonstrate near the Place de l'Etoile today
People wearing hoods, masks and yellow jackets - with one holding an umbrella - demonstrate near the Place de l'Etoile today
Tear gas floats in the air as protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher diesel taxes, demonstrate in Paris
Tear gas floats in the air as protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher diesel taxes, demonstrate in Paris
A topless demonstrator watches as riot police fire water cannon amid fresh violence in the centre of the French capital today 
A topless demonstrator watches as riot police fire water cannon amid fresh violence in the centre of the French capital today 
Demonstrators throw metal barriers during the protest today next to the Arc de Triomphe in a movement which has spiralled into a rebellion against Emmanuel Macron's government 
Demonstrators throw metal barriers during the protest today next to the Arc de Triomphe in a movement which has spiralled into a rebellion against Emmanuel Macron's government 
'Yellow vest' protesters spray paint 'Les Gilets Jaunes Triompheront' - meaning The Yellow Vests Will Triumph - on the side of the Arc de Triomphe
'Yellow vest' protesters spray paint 'Les Gilets Jaunes Triompheront' - meaning The Yellow Vests Will Triumph - on the side of the Arc de Triomphe
Firefighters rush to put out fire started during Paris protest

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Who are the 'Yellow Vest' protesters and how do they get their name?  

The 'yellow vest' or 'gilets jaunes' protesters have taken to the streets of Paris again in what began as a row over fuel prices but has developed into a wider onslaught on the French government. 
It was first prompted by Emmanuel Macron's move to raise the price of diesel fuel in a bid to encourage less polluting cars. 
Yellow-jacketed protesters on the Champs-Elysees today 
Yellow-jacketed protesters on the Champs-Elysees today 
Motorists took to the streets wearing the high-visibility yellow jackets which drivers are required to carry in their vehicles in France, giving the movement its name. 
Since then the protest has gathered momentum and taken aim at the high cost of living and wider dissatisfaction with Macron's presidency. 
Macron has been accused of being out of touch with the problems of ordinary French people.  
At today's demonstration there were calls for Macron, whose popularity has slumped, to resign.  

Hooded demonstrators could be seen breaking into businesses, including a Chanel store and cafes and bars that had remained locked up for the day.
A blaze was started by the Jeu de Paume, one of the most famous art galleries in Paris, and dozens of cars were also burned out. 
Riot police sprayed tear gas, fired water cannon and stun grenades and pulled out their batons to fight back against 'Yellow Vest' protesters who occupied the famous boulevard and graffitied the Arc de Triomphe.  
France's interior minister said police were not able to keep protesters from damaging the Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris or spraying it with graffiti.
Christophe Castaner, speaking on French television TF1, said: 'While some (protesters) invaded the Arc de Triomphe, our police forces were protecting other protesters and bystanders.'
French television showed images of protesters inside the famous monument, spraying graffiti and taking selfies.
Masked and hooded protesters were pictured hurling crowd barriers at police in Paris and this evening stole an assault rifle from a police car in the city centre. 
Meanwhile there were further rallies spiralling across the country, spreading to Marseille, Biarritz and Antibes on the Mediterranean coast and even into the Netherlands.
The protests, named 'Yellow Vest' after drivers' high-vis jackets, began last month amid fury over rising fuel prices but have mushroomed into an all-out challenge to Emmanuel Macron's presidency.
Some 5,000 police and gendarmes are being deployed today in a replica of last Saturday's chaos when Parisians smashed up shops and restaurants and battled riot squads in the first round of major protests.
Trouble started as early as 10am, when a mob of Yellow Vests - who are named after the reflective jackets that all motorists have to carry in France - massed around the Arc de Triomphe.
Chilling images showed individual officers being beaten by masked attackers, as other police were covered in yellow paint.
Sixteen identity check points and police barricades had been set up on the Champs Elysees for the first time in its history in an attempt to avoid rioting on the most famous avenue in France.
The protests have spread beyond the French capital as demonstrators wearing the same high-vis vests blocked a motorway in Biarritz in the south-west of the country and let off yellow smoke grenades in Marseille, France's second-largest city.
Police said 115 people had been arrested for violent order offences in Paris, amid concerns that far-right and far-left groups were infiltrating the spontaneous protests over living costs. 
Several hundred protesters sat down under the arch at the top of the Elysees, singing La Marseillaise, France's national anthem, and chanting, 'Macron Resign!' 
On the facade of the towering 19th-century arch, protesters scrawled in big black letters: 'The yellow vests will triumph', while along the Champs Elysees, peaceful demonstrators held up a slogan reading, 'Macron, stop treating us like idiots!' 
Riot police were covered in bright yellow paint thrown by the Yellow Vests as the violence intensified and the area around the Arc de Triomphe was turned into a battleground. 
The Elysee Palace, the office of the President, is on lockdown as protesters waving flags and lighting flares take over the area. 
Protesters blocked roads in Biarritz and Antibes further south and even in the Hague, in the Netherlands, yellow-jacketed demonstrators were spotted gathering outside government buildings. 
An estimated 75,000 demonstrators were counted across the country as of 3pm. 
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted her 'indignation' and 'deep sadness,'  saying that violence is 'not acceptable.' 
She wrote: 'I feel a deep indignation and a great sadness at the violence in the heart of Paris. They are unacceptable. Our country is facing a major crisis. It can only be resolved through dialogue. We must find this path as soon as possible.
'As a result of the violence that occurred on Saturday, I will be meeting on Sunday morning the crisis unit of the city of Paris, which will bring together my deputies, the mayors of the affected boroughs and the representatives of the municipal services.'
The violence seen in Paris on Saturday is unacceptable and 'yellow vest' protesters must speak out against extremist groups hijacking their legitimate grievances, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said.
'I would like to hear the yellow vests say that this type of demonstration has been taken over by extremist groups and that they cannot accept it,' she told BFM television, urging them to organise themselves so they can begin a dialogue with the government.
Christophe Castaner, France's Interior Minister, said there would be identity checks and bag searches for all pedestrians in the Champs-Elysees area. 
Mr Castaner has blamed Marine Le Pen, leader of the Far Right National Rally party, for encouraging unsavoury elements to get involved in trouble.  
Ahead of Saturday's protests, workmen erected metal barriers and plywood boards on the glass-fronted facades of restaurants and boutiques lining the Champs Elysees, which was closed to traffic. 
This evening it was reported that 19 stations on the Paris Metro, the city's underground network, had been closed amid the unrest.  
President Macron, who is in Argentina for the G20 summit, likened last week's burning barricades and rampant vandalism to 'war scenes' in Paris.   
A police car burns after clashes between police and protesters in Marseille as violence spread to southern France
A police car burns after clashes between police and protesters in Marseille as violence spread to southern France
Demonstrators stand in front of a burning car during the protests which erupted again in Paris on Saturday 
Demonstrators stand in front of a burning car during the protests which erupted again in Paris on Saturday 
A demonstrator throws a projectile at riot police forces during a protest of Yellow vests as buildings were set on fire and streets filled with smoke
A demonstrator throws a projectile at riot police forces during a protest of Yellow vests as buildings were set on fire and streets filled with smoke
Protesters in their yellow vests are seen in the Place de l'Etoile in Paris in this picture from the Arc de Triomphe which shows smoke rising after demonstrators set fire to cars, and a view of the Eiffel Tower in the background 
Protesters in their yellow vests are seen in the Place de l'Etoile in Paris in this picture from the Arc de Triomphe which shows smoke rising after demonstrators set fire to cars, and a view of the Eiffel Tower in the background 
Riot police watch on as the Yellow Vest protesters stand under the Arc de Triomphe in the centre of Paris. The message on the wall reads: 'The Yellow Vests will triumph' 
Riot police watch on as the Yellow Vest protesters stand under the Arc de Triomphe in the centre of Paris. The message on the wall reads: 'The Yellow Vests will triumph' 
Demonstrators destroy cars and send windscreen glass flying to the floor during a protest in the centre of Paris today 
Demonstrators destroy cars and send windscreen glass flying to the floor during a protest in the centre of Paris today 
Protesters make a barricade out of bins and wood as they block a road in the centre of Paris during today's protests 
Protesters make a barricade out of bins and wood as they block a road in the centre of Paris during today's protests 
Firefighters tackle house blaze in Paris during violent protest

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A French flag floats above a sea of heads with fire burning in the background during the protest in Paris on Saturday 
A French flag floats above a sea of heads with fire burning in the background during the protest in Paris on Saturday 
Yellow Vest protesters start fires in the streets of Bordeaux tonight as violence spread to southwestern France
Yellow Vest protesters start fires in the streets of Bordeaux tonight as violence spread to southwestern France
A protester standing near a yellow vest makes a gesture similar to a Nazi salute as he stands by a burning car in Paris 
A protester standing near a yellow vest makes a gesture similar to a Nazi salute as he stands by a burning car in Paris 
Firefighters rush to put out flaming cars but this vehicle was burned down to its chassis by the time they got there
Firefighters rush to put out flaming cars but this vehicle was burned down to its chassis by the time they got there
An overturned car burns, as a protester wearing a yellow vest waves a French flag above his head in Paris this evening
An overturned car burns, as a protester wearing a yellow vest waves a French flag above his head in Paris this evening
An aerial shot of the chaotic scenes show dozens of police riot vans surrounding the Arc de Triomphe in the French capital
An aerial shot of the chaotic scenes show dozens of police riot vans surrounding the Arc de Triomphe in the French capital
As darkness fell firefighters were seen tackling a blaze at a house which was set on fire during the violent protests in Paris 
As darkness fell firefighters were seen tackling a blaze at a house which was set on fire during the violent protests in Paris 
'Yellow Vest' protesters throw tear gas at police in Paris

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Demonstrators had a banner reading 'People in dire straits, let's kill the bourgeois' during a protest in the centre of Paris on Saturday morning
Demonstrators had a banner reading 'People in dire straits, let's kill the bourgeois' during a protest in the centre of Paris on Saturday morning
Officers clean the roads with heavy duty machines in Paris after protesters gathered to protest against rising fuel taxes 
Officers clean the roads with heavy duty machines in Paris after protesters gathered to protest against rising fuel taxes 
Demonstrators block trucks on the motorway in Biarritz as the protests over living costs pspread out across France today 
Demonstrators block trucks on the motorway in Biarritz as the protests over living costs pspread out across France today 
The protests have also spread to Antibes on the Mediterranean coast where protesters wearing the vests waved French flags
The protests have also spread to Antibes on the Mediterranean coast where protesters wearing the vests waved French flags
A vandalized statue of the Marianne inside the Arc de Triomphe, where protesters entered and targeted during violent clashes today
A vandalized statue of the Marianne inside the Arc de Triomphe, where protesters entered and targeted during violent clashes today
Gregory Joron, of the SGP police union said: 'It is people's right to demonstrate, but extremist groups have already joined in.
'Groups intent on trouble are appearing from all directions. They include those from the extreme right and the ultra-Left.'  
The movement, organised through social media, has steadfastly refused to align with any political party or trade union but has grown into a mass movement amid frustration at Macron's presidency.  
The 'yellow vests' include many pensioners and has been most active in small urban and rural areas where it has blocked roads, closed motorway toll booths, and even walled up the entrance to tax offices.
Chantal, a 61-year-old pensioner who came from an eastern Paris suburb, said she was avoiding the 'hooligans' but was determined to send President Emmanuel Macron a message on the rising costs of living.
'He has to come down off his pedestal,' she said under cold rain on the Champs Elysees. 'Every month I have to dip into my savings.' 
The immediate trigger for the protest wave was Macron's decision to raise tax on diesel fuel in a move to encourage the driving of less-polluting cars. 
The government has tried to hold a dialogue but the protesters have been unwilling to appoint leaders.  
A demonstrator kicks back a tear gas canister towards riot police. Some 5,000 police and gendarmes are expected to be out in force in Paris today 
A demonstrator kicks back a tear gas canister towards riot police. Some 5,000 police and gendarmes are expected to be out in force in Paris today 
Members of France's General Confederation of Labour union hold flags near a protest at the Place de la Republique in Paris 
Members of France's General Confederation of Labour union hold flags near a protest at the Place de la Republique in Paris 
The yellow jacket protests have even spread to The Hague, in the Netherlands, where people gathered outside the Dutch parliamentary building on Saturday 
The yellow jacket protests have even spread to The Hague, in the Netherlands, where people gathered outside the Dutch parliamentary building on Saturday 
Protesters wearing yellow vests (gilets jaunes) evacuate a protester injured by a water cannon during today's protests 
Protesters wearing yellow vests (gilets jaunes) evacuate a protester injured by a water cannon during today's protests 
Riot police officers hold up their shields and stand in position during clashes with demonstrators in Paris on Saturday 
Riot police officers hold up their shields and stand in position during clashes with demonstrators in Paris on Saturday 
Topless 'yellow vest protester' walks into the path of water cannon

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The protest has also spread to Toulouse where demonstrators wearing similar vests protested against fuel prices on Saturday
The protest has also spread to Toulouse where demonstrators wearing similar vests protested against fuel prices on Saturday
Riot police officers are covered with painting during clashes with demonstrators as part of a protest against rising fuel prices which has grown into a wider rebellion 
Riot police officers are covered with painting during clashes with demonstrators as part of a protest against rising fuel prices which has grown into a wider rebellion 
In Antibes on the Cote d'Azur the protest movement drew supporters wearing the vests and waving the French flag 
In Antibes on the Cote d'Azur the protest movement drew supporters wearing the vests and waving the French flag 
A demonstrator walks through tear gas near the Champs-Elysees amid fresh violence in the centre of Paris on Saturday 
A demonstrator walks through tear gas near the Champs-Elysees amid fresh violence in the centre of Paris on Saturday 
Tear gas floats in the air as protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' to protest against higher diesel taxes, demonstrate in Paris on Saturday 
Tear gas floats in the air as protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' to protest against higher diesel taxes, demonstrate in Paris on Saturday 
A burning car is turned over by protesters wearing yellow vests as shards of glass fall to the floor of the Parisian road 
A burning car is turned over by protesters wearing yellow vests as shards of glass fall to the floor of the Parisian road 
A protester throws a projectile during the demonstrations in Paris on Saturday with a view of the 19th-century Arc de Triomphe in the background
A protester throws a projectile during the demonstrations in Paris on Saturday with a view of the 19th-century Arc de Triomphe in the background
Although police managed to clear the square around the Arc de Triomphe toward midday, cat-and-mouse skirmishes continued as protesters spread out to nearby streets and neighbourhoods. 
Macron has sought to douse the anger by promising three months of nationwide talks on turning France into a low-carbon economy without penalising the poor. 
He also vowed to slow the rate of increase in fuel taxes if international oil prices rise too rapidly but only after a tax hike due in January.
On Friday, the government tried - mostly in vain - to talk to representatives of the movement. 
Eight were invited to meet Prime Minister Edouard Philippe but only two turned up, and one walked out after being told he could not invite TV cameras in to broadcast the encounter live to the nation. 
The protests have caught Macron off guard just as he was trying to counter a fall in his popularity rating to 30 per cent. 
His unyielding response has exposed him to charges of being out of touch with ordinary people.    
In last week's violence the Dior Store was among those looted, with the designer fashion business losing up to £1million worth of stock. Police responded with water cannon and round upon round of tear gas in an effort to quell the violence.   
Demonstrators hold French flags as they block trucks on the motorway in Biarritz, southwestern France, as the protests spiralled out of Paris and across the country 
Demonstrators hold French flags as they block trucks on the motorway in Biarritz, southwestern France, as the protests spiralled out of Paris and across the country 
'Yellow Vest' Paris protesters march around the Arc de Triomphe

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Protesters wearing masks, helmets and the movement's signature yellow vests wave a Tricolore flag in front of the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees 
Protesters wearing masks, helmets and the movement's signature yellow vests wave a Tricolore flag in front of the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees 
A demonstrator waves a French national flag by the Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the Champs-Elysees which is bracing for fresh protests today 
A demonstrator waves a French national flag by the Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the Champs-Elysees which is bracing for fresh protests today 
Riot police clash with demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday in the latest wave of protests 
Riot police clash with demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday in the latest wave of protests 
Tear gas floats in the air as police secure an area near protesters wearing yellow vests today 
Tear gas floats in the air as police secure an area near protesters wearing yellow vests today


GENERAL MOTORS DUMPS THOUSANDS OF WORKERS AND CLOSES PLANTS   -  Stockholders celebrate!

"It identifies socialism with proposals for mild social reform such as “Medicare for all,” raised and increasingly abandoned by a section of the Democratic Party. It cites Milton Friedman and Margaret Thatcher to promote the virtues of “economic freedom,” i.e., the unrestrained operation of the capitalist market, and to denounce all social reforms, business regulations, tax increases or anything else that impinges on the oligarchy’s self-enrichment."


“The yearly income of a typical US household dropped by a massive 12 percent, or $6,400, in the six years between 2007 and 2013. This is just one of the findings of the 2013 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances released Thursday, which documentsa sharp decline in working class living standards and a further concentration of wealth in the hands of the rich and the super-rich.”

"The American phenomenon of record stock values fueling an ever greater concentration of wealth at the very top of society, while the economy is starved of productive investment, the social infrastructure crumbles, and working class living standards are driven down by entrenched unemployment, wage-cutting and government austerity policies, is part of a broader global process."

"A defining expression of this crisis is the 

dominance of financial speculation and 

parasitism, to the point where a narrow 

international financial aristocracy plunders 

society’s resources in order to further enrich 

itself."

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