January 2018: First what you should know: formal reason for the protest was so called “Carbon Tax”, introduced in 2014, under the government of Francois Hollande. The objective of the government was to keep increasing this tax for the next few years, taking it from €39 in 2018, to €47,5 in 2019.
May 2018: After the January 2018, dissatisfaction grows, and the people are putting up a petition for scrapping the tax in May 2018, with more than million signatures. Government doesn’t give a damn…
October 18th 2018: Jacline Mouraud, accordionist musette, hypnotherapist and fire safety officer for the “end of difficult months”, and informal “mother of Gilets Jeunes” posts a viral video on Facebook with 6+ million views…
October 24th 2018: Ghislain Coutard started the movement venting about the situation in France in a Facebook video calling people to take their mandatory yellow vests and show up in protest. Over 5,4 million views…
November 3rd 2018: Working people of France are using weekends for a peaceful massive gatherings to show their protests against the rising taxes and declining living standard. You guessed it… Government still doesn’t give a damn.
November 10th 2018: People suspend protests during the celebration of the day of commemoration or Armistice Day. Organizers are calling for a big protest on November 17th.
November 17th 2018: Act one, introduction — A massive blockade of Paris turns into a violent protest, 290,000 people, one dead, 227 injured…
November 24th 2018: Act two — 166,000 people, 24 injured (5 police officers). Violence in the streets…
November 26th 2018: A delegation of 8 representatives went to Matignon…
November 28th 2018: …but after the death threats the delegation is dissolved, and by November 30, two more attempts at dialogue turn into fiasco…
December 1st 2018: Act three — 136,000 people, 263 injured, scenes of urban guerilla all over Paris. Worst riots since 1968. Macron’s rating falls to 23%…
December 2nd 2018: Macron returns from the G20 meeting in Argentina…
December 3rd 2018: Elton Jaune return to streets of France…
December 4th 2018: French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe attempts to calm the masses with a promise of carbon tax suspension for six months… Protesters doesn’t give a damn…
December 5th 2018: French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe “explains” that carbon tax is not suspended but canceled. It doesn’t matter any more…
December 8st 2018: Act Four — 140,000 people in the streets, 89.000 police officers deployed, students and paramedics join the protests, armoured vehicles in central Paris…
December 10st 2018: Macron finally addresses the “Yellow Vests” crisis. His promises came too late and people reject his peace offering…
December 14st 2018: Protests, both violent and non-violent, have consumed some of the largest countries in the EU bloc…
So, what do all that people want? Why don’t we ask them?
