FRANCE YELLOW VESTS WEEK 129: MAY DAY, POLITICS AND GENERALS

 

                           (COMMENT AND ANALYSIS)

Today is May 1st a traditional day for the "Left" to take to the streets but the old Left fighting Capitalists has been replaced by a new "Left" worried about social liberalism or environmentalism.     The Left in France is in a place the Capitalists like, split up into multiple factions.

The President of France a former banker, Emmanuel Macron, doing the bidding of the banking and business interests reforming France's expensive welfare benefits and in the end cutting the pensions the French have been accustomed to, among other things.

The coronavirus a major challenge to Macron and his government but the other challenge looming on the horizon is Marine Le Pen.     The National Rally leader rising in stature now given a positive rating of 34 percent second only to former Premier Edouard Philippe now Mayor of Le Havre at 46 percent.    That rating from "Le Figaro" magazine.

A new wrinkle in French politics was the publication of a letter from retired Generals in France decrying the situation in the country caused by anti-racism forces and immigrants.    The date of the letter April 21st one of significance.

On April 21st, 1961 French military forces in Algeria launched a coup attempt against President Charles De Gaulle because of De Gaulle's decision to give up colonial rule there. 

The letter associated with Marine Le Pen in the media and the generals being targeted for removal to the "inactive" list by the Macron government.

Appearing today at the foot of the Joan of Arc statue in Paris after a wreath laying,  Marine Le Pen said that the re-election of Macron next April would result in 'general chaos' in France.  (BFM TV)

      THE YELLOW VESTS PROTESTS TODAY MAY 1ST IN FRANCE

The Yellow Vests on the streets in Lille in northern France today....

                         YELLOW VESTS LILLE, FRANCE 5/1/2021

Arrests are reported in Lyon France today.   Five in total. (BFM-TV)    Video shows the police charging into protesters.

                               LYON FRANCE PROTEST 5/1/2021

This video shows a police confrontation with people in Yellow Vests....

                HEURTS POLICE VERSUS GILETS JAUNES 5/1/2021

May Day is traditionally the day for a march through the streets of Paris (International Workers Day)/

This is the live video feed.

PARIS MAY DAY MARCH PROTEST 5/1/2021

46 arrests reported in Paris today.

Officially 150-thousand protesters estimated on the streets of France today by the CGT union.   Only 106-thousand according to the government.

21 injuries reported late in the day in Paris when CGT union activists were attacked by protesters calling them 'collaborators'.

Earlier in the day "black blocs' anarchists reported to be forcing their way in front of the union procession in the streets of Paris.

The Yellow Vests present in the May Day procession in Tours, France today....

The Yellow Vests were on the streets in Marseille today.....

                         YELLOW VESTS MARSEILLE WEEK 129 5/1/2021

Video from Nantes today showing what appears to be confrontations between anarchists and police...

                                           NANTES PROTEST 5/1/2021

And that is the story of the Yellow Vests in France for this week.