to ask what you think of the Gilets Jaunes (yellow vest) protesters in France?

[mothertruck3r]

Do you think they will achieve anything if they continue protesting?

Whats your AIBU?

I think it is an expression of the same discontent as Brexit and Trump being elected as POTUS. It is those who just managing (or not) financially being hit again by a policy dreamt up in a metroplitan bubble, without any concept of how it will impact on those who don't live in areas readily supplied with public transport and where driving is a necessity.

I think they have wrung some concessions from Macron, but he is an Enarque and a banker, with little or no comprehension of how the other half live. I think if they continue protesting and the violence used against them increases then perhaps the UK might see that this is how protests are put down in the EU and that we perhaps don't want to go down that route.

I hope they wring more from him. I hope that others see that they are not alone or isolated in what they feel and that it is reasonable to express this. I don't think that those within the peripherique, the M25, or the Beltway (and the Ring for that matter) have quite yet grasped how profoundly pissed off the people outside those bubbles are with being told how they should think and feel, and that they are beyond pissed off with their very real concerns being dismissed as ignorance.

This is why Trump will get in again, why Brexit (and the anti EU sentiment that drives it), and the dislike of the political 'dynasties' in Washington won't go away. Until the concerns are addressed, or at the very least acknowledged as being valid and real, then we are in for a bumpy ride.

Scary - I agree. I'm surprised the protests have been "allowed" to continue for as long as they have.

I recently came back from France and many people are pissed off with them. In the beginning I think there was support but most people seem to think they’re just a bunch of troublemakers now. They don’t even know what they’re protesting about anymore. They think they’re protesting for the sake of it.

My French friends have told me of ordinary businesses being vandalised. Here’s an example.

www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/23/paris-news-kiosks-burnt-protests-crowdfunder

It is like when we had the riots in London - every idiot jumped onboard and trashed the place, mugged people, invaded ships and restaurants, looted from shops...

Shops not ships. I think anyway.

They don’t even know what they’re protesting about anymore. They think they’re protesting for the sake of it.

Pretty much, it was initially the same demographic as leave voters, quickly co-opted by the far left, now its just a random bunch from everyone with no real message and loosing support quickly, there is more support gaining for Macrons incresed tough stance which makes Boris and his water canons look like a nice party.

Eu has given Macron leeway to push what he wants through so its going to go through one way or another by the looks of it and the riots are now just for shits and giggles for a lot of them.

I think what was potentially a valid cause has been hijacked by scumbags who riot for the sake of it. Not dissimilar to football hooligans.

Well our experience of being caught up in the protests in November was most unpleasant and quite scary so we won't be returning to France until it's resolved. I am surprised they still have the level of support they do. The disruption, hold ups and violence against drivers, businesses and citizens is awful.

I dunno enough to say anything informed.

I get impression it is like Brexit: they are unhappy so they think the right thing is to make everyone else unhappy, too.

Are they proposing simple solutions to complex problems, that ignores rule of law and minority rights? That's often a bad sign.

Are they proposing simple solutions to complex problems

It was initially a left wing revolt to Macron being the neoliberal he is, so the answer is yes.

When asked, their biggest gripe was gay marriage. I’ve no time for them. Neither does my French working-class family.

My brother lives in France. He travels to Paris to protest about taxes etc. He certainly believes in his cause and does not vandalise shops.

When asked, their biggest gripe was gay marriage

Citation needed on that one.

It was initially a left leaning revolt because macron was effectually being Thatcher 2.0 smashing the unions with Brussels backing. There is still a hell of a lot left wing groups rioting with mixed messages just as there are right wing.

The fact their is no coherent message is why Macron is muting the idea of putting the military on the streets.

Broad brushing it as "against gay marriage" is a classic way of ignoring the nuances in globalised politics, it's reflected in brexit. It cannot be pinned down to one side good, other side bad.

I mean, the French really love to strike too! So destabilizing their unions wasn’t going to go well!

The original basis has been hijacked by violent thugs and looters.
Outside the main cities travelling is quite difficult and bus/train services don't cover everywhere so ramping up fuel prices (one of the original reasons to protest) was justified. The price hike wasn't Macron's doing, but the previous president.
Some of the other 'demands' are quite nuanced in terms of protest, such as the excessive use of pesticides and IIRC more effort needed to boost solar energy use.
Away from the trashing and looting in Paris and some major cities, it is still a 'passive' protest, leaving your HiVis on the dashboard of your car and seeing grandparents taking kids to school and doing the shopping is a far cry from Paris scenes.

I thought it had originally started because Macron wanted to slap extra tax on diesel, which would adversely affect those in la France Profonde.

It is all part of the disconnect between the governed and the governing that some of those on here who support Remain are wilfully refusing to acknowledge exists.

If the armoured vehicles are again deployed in Paris with the EU insignia on as they were previously (and remember what happened in the Catalan protests that were harshly put down with the full knowledge of the EU), you have to start asking yourself (or at least some remainers might start to), is this an organisation that you want your nation to be run by?

scaryteacher
I thought it had originally started because Macron wanted to slap extra tax on diesel, which would adversely affect those in la France Profonde.

If the armoured vehicles are again deployed in Paris with the EU insignia on as they were previously (and remember what happened in the Catalan protests that were harshly put down with the full knowledge of the EU), you have to start asking yourself (or at least some remainers might start to), is this an organisation that you want your nation to be run by?

Shh, don't knock the utopia that is the EU, everything is perfect, its just a few thugs that the righteous will stop.

I thought it had originally started because Macron wanted to slap extra tax on diesel, which would adversely affect those in la France Profonde.

That was the simplified highlighted one, in the nuanced argument it requires a break up of unions to comply with EU regulations with Brussles backing,

It's become just as murky as Brexit, with Macron historically being the left wing champion (in the UK) against Le Penn and now the realisation of balancing neoliberal Thatcher 2.0 policies whilst apparently supporting the working class who are not in the major metropolise is a difficult situation to argue against.

The original basis has been hijacked by violent thugs and looters.

The original basis was against neoliberal closer EU integration.

It's been hijacked by far left idiots that want to riot and far right, its the left centrists that have the difficult situation of being a "dyed in the wool lefty" whilst being apparently anti-neoliberal, just the same as brexit. It's a shit show that no one will come out of this smelling of roses.

Shh, don't knock the utopia that is the EU, everything is perfect, its just a few thugs that the righteous will stop.

As usual the comparable anti tory/brexit argument isn't black and white so this thread will die.

Scary do you have links to EU armed vehicles quelling the crowds

No. People won't start to ask themselves about it. Because anyone who voted remain doesn't understand the significance of the EU block.

Late It was all in the press....the armoured vehicle was number 12, had Hermes on the, side and the EU flag.

Love the break up of the unions Just, they are strong in Belgium as well. We've had Gilet Jaunes in Brussels, Mons and Liege I think, but nothing near as much as Paris. Mind you, this is the country that didn't seem to react much to the Zaventem bombing. Quickest run I ever had to Dunkirk, and nothing at the airport turn off to signify there had been a bomb...motorway clear, no police in sight.