Record number of arrests during fresh Yellow Vest protests in France

The protests drew a new record crowd, with 120 000 protesters taking part in the mobilization across the country, and on the traffic side, motorists were still experiencing “strong disturbances” caused by “filtering operations”.

Some 1 385 arrests were made throughout France and at least 974 people were placed in police custody.

As for the mobilization in the capital, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced that the police had carried out 920 arrests and that 619 individuals had been placed in custody.

Prime Minister Édouard Philippe told the media that the “time of dialogue” had arrived, after hailing “the good preparations” by the police. “The time for dialogue is here. It began with debates in both assemblies, meetings in the field, in Matignon where I had the opportunity to meet a delegation of these French people. This dialogue has begun, it must continue. The French nation must meet again. No tax can threaten national unity,” he said.

The head of state, President Emannuel Macron has said that he would speak to the nation on Monday night during a television broadcast, according to Le Parisien.

US President Donald Trump meanwhile attacked the Paris climate agreement, from which the United States withdrew. “The Paris Agreement isn’t working out so well for Paris. Protests and riots all over France. People do not want to pay large sums of money, much to third-world countries (that are questionably run), in order to protect the environment. Chanting ‘We want Trump!’ Love France,” the president’s tweet read.

The Paris Agreement isn’t working out so well for Paris. Protests and riots all over France. People do not want to pay large sums of money, much to third world countries (that are questionably run), in order to maybe protect the environment. Chanting “We Want Trump!” Love France.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2018

In addition, Jean-Marie Le Pen commented on Twitter, denouncing the “swindle” by “some journalists”, in creating “the amalgam between extreme right and extreme left”. Le Pen said: “Everybody knows that it is the left-wing thugs who, on every occasion, train for civil war.” Sporadic looting scenes were registered in Paris and around the country.

L’amalgame entre extrême droite et extrême gauche pratiqué par un certain nombre de journalistes et commentateurs est une escroquerie. Tout le monde sait que ce sont les nervis d’extrême gauche qui, à chaque occasion, s’entrainent à la guerre civile.

— Jean-Marie Le Pen (@lepenjm) December 8, 2018

The house of Minister François de Rugy, in Ouessant, Finistere, was covered with tags in the night from Friday to Saturday, and an investigation is underway.

From Brussels, Belgium, where some 400 protesters were arrested and a police officer was injured, Marine Le Pen asked Emmanuel Macron for “strong responses” to the “social suffering” of Yellow Vests. She lashed out once more at the UN Migration Compact to be signed soon in Marrakech, on December 10 and 11. She urged Macron to denounce the Compact.

On a video widely shared on social networks, a Yellow Vest protester was hit by a flashball in the abdomen, while he presented himself facing the police, his arms in the air. The sequence was viewed nearly 400 000 times and shared more than 7 000 times, prompting many furious reactions.