The Yellow Vests, a group of French workers from all walks of life, have been taking to the streets every Saturday for months. These actions have taken place in cities, towns, and villages across France. They are protesting all the capitalist austerity measures that profit the rich and have disastrous consequences for the poor.
The police have used flash grenades, water cannons, riot guns, tear gas, and billy clubs to brutally repress protesters. More than 144 protestors and journalists have been severely injured by riot police. The name of Geneviève Legay, a 73 year old activist whose skull was fractured by riot police on March 23, has now become a rallying cry against the brutality of French President Emmanuel Macron who put out a statement bad-mouthing Legay for her “irresponsibility” and for being in a “prohibited area.” Some protestors have responded to this repression by destroying the private property of the super-rich or by torching cop cars.
Macron has declared that he would call upon the French army to prevent further protests. It is no surprise that Macron favors the protection of private property rights over human rights: he has spent most of his career working for ultra-rich bankers. Presidents like Macron ignore the fact that 80% of French people support the yellow vests, that 10,000 people die from unemployment every year. Rich capitalists like him see working-class people as expendable in the face of profit.