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| Violence Escalates as France Scrambles to Respond to ‘Yellow Vest’ Protesters | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| PARIS — Protesters burned cars and clashed with the police while French firefighters battled blazes in the center of Paris as violent demonstrations against the high cost of living escalated in the capital on Saturday. | |
| It was the third straight week of protests and while the number taking part was down slightly nationwide, overall support for the “yellow vests” movement showed no sign of abating and the government appeared flummoxed over how to respond. | |
| The catalyst for the protests was the government’s decision to increase gas taxes in 2019 to help pay for the transition to more sustainable energy. But the discontent has been building for years. It reflects the bite of French payroll taxes, which are among the highest in Europe, and disposable income that is below that of several other western European countries. | |
| Elsewhere in Paris and across France the protests were tense in some places but largely peaceful in others, giving credence to the French government’s claim that although many in Paris might be wearing the yellow vests, at least those around the Arc de Triomphe were, in great part, not representative of the movement and instead intent on causing trouble. | Elsewhere in Paris and across France the protests were tense in some places but largely peaceful in others, giving credence to the French government’s claim that although many in Paris might be wearing the yellow vests, at least those around the Arc de Triomphe were, in great part, not representative of the movement and instead intent on causing trouble. |
| By early evening, some 80 people had been injured, including 14 police officers, and 183 people had been arrested, according to the police. | |
| What started as a tense protest around the Arc de Triomphe descended into violent rioting at several flash points in central Paris. | |
| “We are attached to freedom of expression, but also to respect for the law,” said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who made a point of distinguishing between those who had come prepared to fight the police and those with whom the government was willing to talk. | |
| “I am shocked by the violence of such a symbol of France,” he said, referring to the clashes around the Arc de Triomphe and graffiti sprayed on it that read “Yellow Jackets Will Triumph.” | “I am shocked by the violence of such a symbol of France,” he said, referring to the clashes around the Arc de Triomphe and graffiti sprayed on it that read “Yellow Jackets Will Triumph.” |
| It was two weeks into the protests before the government, which had been giving the demonstrators a cold shoulder, agreed to meet with them. First, government officials offered to increase subsidies for buying fuel-efficient cars and installing less-polluting home heating systems, but the protesters indicated that was insufficient since many do not have enough money to buy even a subsidized car. | It was two weeks into the protests before the government, which had been giving the demonstrators a cold shoulder, agreed to meet with them. First, government officials offered to increase subsidies for buying fuel-efficient cars and installing less-polluting home heating systems, but the protesters indicated that was insufficient since many do not have enough money to buy even a subsidized car. |
| Mr. Philippe then called a meeting with Yellow Vest representatives for Nov. 30. However, since the movement has no leader or even really any representatives, it was unclear whom he invited. The result was that only one or two Yellow Vests showed up at Mr. Philippe’s formal residence at Matignon, a grand house in Paris’ chic 7th arrondissement. | Mr. Philippe then called a meeting with Yellow Vest representatives for Nov. 30. However, since the movement has no leader or even really any representatives, it was unclear whom he invited. The result was that only one or two Yellow Vests showed up at Mr. Philippe’s formal residence at Matignon, a grand house in Paris’ chic 7th arrondissement. |
| The meeting was “interesting, frank and respectful,” said Mr. Philippe, adding that the door remained open. | The meeting was “interesting, frank and respectful,” said Mr. Philippe, adding that the door remained open. |
| But the “open door” was undercut by other ministers who publicly said there would be no backing down on the government’s new gas taxes. | But the “open door” was undercut by other ministers who publicly said there would be no backing down on the government’s new gas taxes. |
| The good-cop, bad-cop approach did not go over well. A large group of Yellow Vests in Paris marched peacefully with a banner that said, “Macron, Stop Taking Us for Stupid People.” | The good-cop, bad-cop approach did not go over well. A large group of Yellow Vests in Paris marched peacefully with a banner that said, “Macron, Stop Taking Us for Stupid People.” |
| Asked if this referred to the government’s mixed messages, one of the marchers who was holding the edge of the banner said: “Of course. Who does he think we are?” | Asked if this referred to the government’s mixed messages, one of the marchers who was holding the edge of the banner said: “Of course. Who does he think we are?” |
| In many ways the street confrontations on Saturday in Paris, while gripping on television, obscured the movement’s seriousness and its significance for the government. French politicians are accustomed to dealing with violent demonstrations: they occur several times every year, especially in Paris. Sometimes they are in the context of union strikes but more often as part of broader protests. | In many ways the street confrontations on Saturday in Paris, while gripping on television, obscured the movement’s seriousness and its significance for the government. French politicians are accustomed to dealing with violent demonstrations: they occur several times every year, especially in Paris. Sometimes they are in the context of union strikes but more often as part of broader protests. |
| Far more difficult for the government is dealing with the Yellow Vests who represent a broader swath of the French population than any union and include many who have not yet come out to demonstrate, but who say they are supportive. | Far more difficult for the government is dealing with the Yellow Vests who represent a broader swath of the French population than any union and include many who have not yet come out to demonstrate, but who say they are supportive. |
| Of course, it is possible that reservoir of supporters will not become activists, but if they did, the government would be hard put to cope. | Of course, it is possible that reservoir of supporters will not become activists, but if they did, the government would be hard put to cope. |
| President Emmanuel Macron’s dilemma is that in the past when French presidents, under pressure from the French Street, have backed down from their fiscal programs and moderated tax and other spending proposals, they are seen as weak and unable to enact meaningful change. | President Emmanuel Macron’s dilemma is that in the past when French presidents, under pressure from the French Street, have backed down from their fiscal programs and moderated tax and other spending proposals, they are seen as weak and unable to enact meaningful change. |
| Mr. Macron, whose campaign and now his government have been built on the promise to make needed reforms in France’s labor market and social security costs, would see his dream of bringing back prosperity to France and making it into a 21st century economy at the least cut short. | Mr. Macron, whose campaign and now his government have been built on the promise to make needed reforms in France’s labor market and social security costs, would see his dream of bringing back prosperity to France and making it into a 21st century economy at the least cut short. |
| The problem, said Bernard Sananès, president of Elabe, a French polling organization, is that “there are two Frances.” | The problem, said Bernard Sananès, president of Elabe, a French polling organization, is that “there are two Frances.” |
| “One is a France that feels left behind and moving down” the socio-economic ladder, he said in an interview Dec. 1 on BFMTV, a French news channel. | “One is a France that feels left behind and moving down” the socio-economic ladder, he said in an interview Dec. 1 on BFMTV, a French news channel. |
| A study released this past week by the Jean Jaurès Institute, a public policy think tank, said: “In the past, these people could have given themselves some little entertainment; today those little ‘extras’ are out of reach.” | A study released this past week by the Jean Jaurès Institute, a public policy think tank, said: “In the past, these people could have given themselves some little entertainment; today those little ‘extras’ are out of reach.” |
| Multiple surveys of public opinion released in the past week suggest that 70 percent to 80 percent of French people sympathize with the Yellow Vests’ contention that President Emmanuel Macron and his government “talks about the end of the world while we are talking about the end of the month.” | Multiple surveys of public opinion released in the past week suggest that 70 percent to 80 percent of French people sympathize with the Yellow Vests’ contention that President Emmanuel Macron and his government “talks about the end of the world while we are talking about the end of the month.” |
| The movement’s slogan refers to Mr. Macron’s focus on reducing climate change by promoting fuel efficiency and raising gas taxes in contrast to French working people who struggle to make it to the end of their month on their earnings. | The movement’s slogan refers to Mr. Macron’s focus on reducing climate change by promoting fuel efficiency and raising gas taxes in contrast to French working people who struggle to make it to the end of their month on their earnings. |
| The Yellow Vests draw their constituency from the majority of French who have watched their take-home pay increasingly fall behind their cost of living. Still, the French are considerably better off than those in Eastern Europe, according to Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics arm. | |
| The median disposable income for a person in a French household was 1,700 euros a month, about $1,923, in 2016, the most recent year for which statistics are available, according to Insee, the French government’s statistics arm. | The median disposable income for a person in a French household was 1,700 euros a month, about $1,923, in 2016, the most recent year for which statistics are available, according to Insee, the French government’s statistics arm. |
| Disposable income reflects the amount left for workers to spend on their daily needs — housing, food, schooling, clothes — after paying income taxes and payroll taxes and making adjustments for any government subsidies for which they might eligible. | Disposable income reflects the amount left for workers to spend on their daily needs — housing, food, schooling, clothes — after paying income taxes and payroll taxes and making adjustments for any government subsidies for which they might eligible. |
| Often the only way to rein in costs has been to move to the exurbs of major cities, where real estate prices are much lower, but where workers generally must rely on a car to get to work and for errands. Cars need gas and so any gas tax increase hits them. Taxes have also risen on tobacco and other goods. | Often the only way to rein in costs has been to move to the exurbs of major cities, where real estate prices are much lower, but where workers generally must rely on a car to get to work and for errands. Cars need gas and so any gas tax increase hits them. Taxes have also risen on tobacco and other goods. |
| For rural workers and those who live in distant small villages in the heart of France, a car is even more clearly a necessity. | For rural workers and those who live in distant small villages in the heart of France, a car is even more clearly a necessity. |
| Centrist politicians, even some who support Mr. Macron, are beginning to push for a more engaged response from the government. | Centrist politicians, even some who support Mr. Macron, are beginning to push for a more engaged response from the government. |
| “You can’t govern against the people,” said François Bayrou, the leader of the Moderate Democrats in Parliament, who are partners with Mr. Macron’s Les Republiques En Marche party in an interview on Europe 1. | “You can’t govern against the people,” said François Bayrou, the leader of the Moderate Democrats in Parliament, who are partners with Mr. Macron’s Les Republiques En Marche party in an interview on Europe 1. |
| He said he did was not sure of the answer, but he said the government can’t keep “adding taxes on top of taxes.” | He said he did was not sure of the answer, but he said the government can’t keep “adding taxes on top of taxes.” |