French protesters continue to vent anger at Macron despite fuel tax climbdown
Demonstrators wearing yellow vests continued to make their voices heard despite the change in policy.
The French government has caved in after the worst riots in decades and delayed an increase in energy taxes but many protesters continued to vent their anger at President Emmanuel Macron.
Demonstrators were back in the streets wearing their signature yellow vests.
They blocked several fuel depots and, on a highway near the southern city of Aubagne, commandeered a toll booth to let motorists pass for free near a sign reading Macron Dictator.
The protests began on November 17 with motorists upset over the fuel tax increase, but have grown to encompass a range of complaints, the stagnant economy, social injustice and France’ tax system, one of the highest in Europe, and some now call for the government to resign.
Shops were looted and cars torched in plush neighbourhoods around the famed Champs-Elysees Avenue.
The Arc de Triomphe was sprayed with graffiti and vandalised.
Four people have been killed, officials said, and more protests are planned for this weekend.
One unifying complaint among the leaderless protesters, who come from across the political and social spectrum, has been the anger at Mr Macron and the perceived elitism of France’s aloof ruling class.
It was prime minister Edouard Philippe who announced a six-month delay in the fuel tax increase that was to have begun in January.
Just three weeks ago, Mr Philippe had insisted the government would be steadfast in the tax plans aimed at weaning French consumers off fossil fuels.
He also announced a freeze in electricity and natural gas prices until May.
“No tax is worth putting the nation’s unity in danger,” Mr Philippe said in a live televised address.
Mr Macron, for his part, visited a regional government headquarters that was torched by protesters, but he did not speak to reporters.
The government U-turn appeared to appease few of the protesters, who wear the yellow vests that France requires motorists to have in their vehicles in case of roadside emergencies.
“It’s a first step, but we will not settle for crumbs,” said Benjamin Cauchy, a self-proclaimed protest leader.
“It’s coming too late. … I’m calling (on) this government to resign,” Mr Valette said.
Damien Abad, a lawmaker from the centre-right Les Republicains party, also called it “too little, too late”.
“If your only response, Mr Prime Minister, is the suspension of Macron’s fuel taxes, then you still haven’t realised the gravity of the situation,” Mr Abad said.
“What we are asking of you Mr Prime Minister, is not a postponement. It’s a change of course.”
In the port city of Marseille, students clashed with police outside a high school, one of about 100 high schools around France that were blocked or otherwise disrupted by student protests, according to the Education Ministry.
Many were protesting against a new university application system.
Mr Philippe held crisis talks with representatives of major political parties on Monday, and met with Mr Macron, who cancelled a two-day trip to Serbia.
“This violence must end,” Mr Philippe said.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen tweeted that the delay in price increases was “obviously not up to the expectations of the French people struggling with precariousness”, and noted sarcastically that it is “surely a coincidence” that the rise in prices will take effect a few days after European Union elections.
