Anti-Macron demonstrators set ablaze Paris and shroud in thick smoke iconic Eiffel Tower

[ansible]

Source: express



What has been dubbed the “seventh act” of the yellow vest protesters ended in violence, plunging the French capital into chaos once again. Shocking pictures show the iconic tower shrouded in smoke and vehicles engulfed in flames, with firefighter battling the blaze to put it off. Hundreds of yellow vest demonstrators, who have been named after the fluorescent jackets French motorists must have in their car, marched through the streets of France’s major cities for the seventh time yesterday since the anti-Macron movement started in mid-November.

The turnout was noticeably lower than at previous marches but Paris, Marseille and Rouen became theatres of destruction and clashes between the riot police and citizens. Police used water cannon and tear gas against the crowd and arrested dozens of people. They conducted searches on many of those wearing the now iconic yellow vests.

But yellow vests kept re-grouping after every clash. Several hundred people in Paris marched outside the offices of broadcasters France Televisions and BFM TV shouting “fake news” and accusing journalists of being “collaborators” of the French Government. And across the country, people wearing yellow vests called for the resignation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

The ongoing protests, which started on November 17, are the result of discontent across France over the rising cost of living. They were triggered by a fuel tax hike, set to take place in January 2019. But despite Mr Macron now caving in and cancelling the fuel tax increase, protesters keep gathering to push for a new leader at the Elysee.



Read more: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1065154/french-riots-yellow-vest-protest-eiffel-tower-pictures-emmanuel-macron-news

[msongs]

1. sounds like criminal agitators running this show nt

[still_one]

3. They are referring to media reports as "fake news"? That smells like right out of the playbook of

Putin

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

13. Yep.

[erronis]

15. Putin, Bannon.

[Igel]

17. I'm not so quick to judge.

Or maybe I am, but I did that a decade ago when people derided those who followed the outlets derisively dubbed the "MSM" and then realized my judgment contributed rather less to civilization than did used toilet paper. There were those here back then who'd have no trouble dismissing claims simply on the basis of where the information came from. And then turning on the person who echoed the claims with derision and accusation. We were a bit more wide ranging in our diversity back then, and in our willingness to speak freely about it.

A lot of that was institutionalized, so there are many media outlets not to be used. Officially it's to avoid giving them clicks; for many, it's because they only have fake news. We just didn't call it that a decade back. The upshot is that if Fox runs a story from AP, it's "fake news" until it's substantiated from a "true news" source. And if it's not, and still true, it's still Fox and therefore fake. Why? Because they're (R).

That's not so far from the yellow vests "fake news" because the media sources support the government. The criterion for truth is often "Is it on my side?"

And remember where Trump got his phrase from? Why, even HRC used it a month before the first documented use I can find under his name--not that she was necessarily in any sense "the" source (but I tend to think she used it and that made him notice it a bit more than he'd have otherwise).

Buzzfeed apparently popularized "fake news" in mid-2016, months before HRC picked up the then-popular term--maybe coined it anew, maybe picked it up, but certainly spread it around. You know, Buzzfeed, the publisher of the leaked dossier? Obviously a RW source.

To be honest, the source Buzzfeed derided as "fake" news really specialized in harvesting any news, the more polemic and extreme the better, from any source. And even wrote its own. They were in it for the money. Call it blow-back from making sure that little republic was kept out of the loop and poor because they were inconvenient and unimportant.

After Trump picked up the term--and only after he picked it up--were there calls from the MSM (ahem) to retire the term. It had suddenly outlived its usefulness.

Just put "fake news" in the basket with all the other examples of ad hominem fallacy. It's quite a large basket.

[Recursion]

23. This is a world-wide assault on (small "r") republicanism. We need to survive it.

It's frankly really unnerving.

[still_one]

24. It is unnerving

[blue-wave]

36. It sure does smell

And I'll bet Le Pen, or at least her supporters, also is/are involved.

Marine Le Pen’s ‘Russiagate’ Sounds Awfully Familiar

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/12/29/marine-le-pens-russiagate-sounds-awfully-familiar/


Putin aligned himself with the far right world-wide. It's time for us to recognize the serious world-wide threat this presents. It is time to unite our side for a long extended battle throughout the world.

Putin, Trump, and the New Cold War Between Liberalism and White Supremacy

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/07/21/the-putin-trump-alliance-is-part-of-a-new-cold-war-between-liberalism-and-white-supremacy/

[WhiteTara]

7. More of Putin's puppets, as far as I can tell

The Russians are becoming bolder by the day and western democracy is definitely in trouble.

[forgotmylogin]

12. It sounds like the demonstrators self-immolated.

That might just be an artifact of headline translation.

[nycbos]

2. I'm willing to bet the Russians are behind part of this.

[still_one]

5. My exact thoughts, especially when you here accusations of the reporting as "fake news". Putin

would love nothing more than to see NATO dissolved, which our illustrious asshole leader suggested during the campaign

[jberryhill]

4. shouting "fake news" and accusing journalists of being "collaborators"

Mmm-hmm...

[still_one]

6. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[FirstLight]

8. wth?!

What is going ON in this world?

[dewsgirl]

27. I think Putin is going for global domination.

[poli-junkie]

9. Yep, Putin's hands all over this

Time to prop up fascist Marine Le Pen -- so effing obvious! Anytime there's internal conflict in a democracy, watch the social media for Russian bots -- these bastards are relentless!

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

14. The new "probation" in russia...

Gotta volunteer 40 hours a month on social media being a stooge for russia.

[kimbutgar]

10. Putin is enabling Le Pen supporters

It’s obvious who is funding and fueling this. Putin trying to destabilize another democracy. He has destabilized Italy and now there is a right wing government. And don’t get me started on Brexit.

Who is going to stop Putin?

[dalton99a]

11. +1

[Recursion]

25. +1

Somebody needs to stop him. Somehow.

[2naSalit]

30. +1

[uppityperson]

16. Here's an article that's not quite so sensationalistic

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/yellow-vests-protests-france-paris-media-gilets-jaunes-a8703676.html

[McKim]

18. I Reserve Judgement

I reserve judgement on who is behind this. From what I hear from friends there over the past year, Macron IS a representative of the very comfortable. He and his wife caused anger over their expensive new china for the Elysee Palace, the old china wasn’t good enough for them...meanwhile your average person was feeling the economic squeeze. Macron is a Neoliberal and I read last week that he told an old woman who has complaining about her low pension, that French people should stop grumbling as in the days of recovery after WWII and DeGaulle!!!! That did not play well. The Right may be pushing fiery violence and I reserve judgement until I get more news from several sources.

[grandpamike1]

19. I agree

Putin & Bannon fingerprints all over this.

[SunSeeker]

20. No patriotic French would do this, nor be happy about it.

Putin is smiling I'm sure. But this will not endear the protesters to the general public in France. They've jumped the shark attacking the Eiffel Tower.

[uppityperson]

31. They didn't attack the Eiffel Tower. Smoke from burnt cars drifted across the tower

The title of the op article is sensationalistic, imo. Here is another link
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/yellow-vests-protests-france-paris-media-gilets-jaunes-a8703676.html

[SunSeeker]

32. Your link indicates they did have plans for the Eiffel Tower, to at least shut it down.

Another small group of demonstrators gathered near the Eiffel Tower, where several were arrested.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/yellow-vests-protests-france-paris-media-gilets-jaunes-a8703676.html

Plus, I don't think setting cars on fire is endearing them to the French public. These cars belong to just regular people, working stiffs, who they claim to be championing.
What did they do to deserve it?

And setting so many fires that the Eiffel Tower is covered in smoke is indeed an attack, intentional or not, on the Eiffel Tower, a symbol of France.

[uppityperson]

33. I've never understood the French penchant for burning cars in protests

[Dawson Leery]

21. Call this what it is. Russian Interference.

These sudden eruptions of violence have no purpose.

...and for all of those dismissing it and trying to sympathize with the violent protesters, I can assure you that you will not feel
as empathetic in 2021 when gangs of Tea Party Fascist scum take to the streets to protest the new, democratically elected President (from the Democratic Party). Chances are these gangs will be backed by Putin and GRU.

[Recursion]

22. They're getting paid in rubles to do it

What an absolute embarrassment

[NBachers]

26. I am taking this opportunity to point out that no anti-Macron demonstrators were set ablaze.

[DBoon]

28. reactionary nihilists

in my opinion

[greatauntoftriplets]

29. My great-nephew was in Paris during the earlier round of this.

For all I know, he might be back (staying with his girlfriend who is studying fashion design, while he works remotely). He steered clear of all of this before, so I assume he's doing the same now.

Mason said it was pretty scary.

[Wrz]

34. Time to bring back the guillotine

For the foreign agitators that are the leaders of this agitprop. High treason deserves high punishment to set an example. Put them down for the sake of France and more importantly for the sake of the world or neo-nazism will overtake every government if we are not careful.

It needs to be made clear to nazis and other forms of white supremacists that they are wholly and totally incompatible with this planet and no quarter should ever be given when dealing with them. They are human garbage and their ideology is malignant and must be ripped out root and branch like the disease it is. This coupled with treasons going on here and other parts of the world needs to be dealt with. Treason is a noxious weed.

[ucrdem]

35. At least the Islamic community is off the hook for once.

It can't be easy being a Muslim in France.