Yellow vests
The one year anniversary of the Yellow Vests protests took place this week in France. Over the course of a year, opponents of French President Emmanuel Macron’s liberal reforms have organized 53 “acts,” as the weekly protests have been designated. Dozens of people were arrested in connection with the latest demonstration.
The protests began in 2018 with local car owners’ protesting against proposed increases to fuel costs, eventually turning into massive dissatisfaction with Macron’s governance in general. Contemporary life in France is very suitable for the elites, with the poor and middle classes are often barely able to get by.
Over the past year, Macron and the media loyal to him have tried to discredit the Yellow Vests movement by calling them radicals, accusing them of connections with Russia, etc. The demonstrators have been punished with arrests and heavy fines, while many more have been beaten or permanently disfigured as a result of the brutal practices of the police.
However, the protests have continued all the same, suggesting that the people have finally been pushed to their breaking point.
Protests in Iran
Large scaleprotests are ongoing in Iran. The initial motivation was an increase in gasoline prices, but the situation quickly grew out of hand– the US, as it has in the past, is openly supporting the protests.
Washington said it supports “peaceful protests” and condemns the actions law enforcement has taken to prevent destabilization.
President Hassan Rouhani stressed that people have the right to protest, but not when it turns into unrest.
“People have the right to protest, but that is different from riots… We cannot let insecurity in the country through riots,” the president said.
Unrest in Hong Kong
Things have escalated even further this weekend in Hong Kong. The protesters are behaving more and more aggressively and provoking dangerous situations, although they blame the Chinese government for everything.
This time, the protesters set fire to the Polytechnic University campus, where protesters barricaded themselves on November 17. After attempts by the police to alleviate the situation peacefully failed, the protesters began to throw Molotov cocktails, injuring one policeman.
All of this is happening against the background of a transport blockade, with protesters blockading the roads of Hong Kong.