FRANCE YELLOW VESTS WEEK 412*THREE WARS, ONE PROTEST MOVEMENT*MACRON VISITS GULF REGION*CREDIT RATING KEEPS NEGATIVE OUTLOOK*DEADLY ATTACKS, TRUMP COMMENTS*PARIS PROTEST DIVERTED*TEAR GAS DEPLOYED*HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS PROTEST*

 

        (NEWS, COMMENT AND ANALYSIS WITH MAINSTREAM MEDIA SOURCES)

TEAR GAS FIRED AS PROTESTERS GATHERED IN LYON TODAY OCTOBER 24TH, 2026

FRANCE'S CREDIT RATING KEPT THE SAME BY MOODY'S AGENCY AT 'Aa3' IN A LATE FRIDAY NIGHT ANNOUCEMENT.

THE RATING CARRYING A NEGATIVE OUTLOOK.

OTHER RATINGS AGENCIES HAVE DOWNGRADED THEIR RATINGS FOR FRANCE THE SEVERITY OF GOVERNMENT FINANCES AND POLITICAL STABILITY CITED.

THE GOVERNMENT WELCOMING MOODY'S DECISION AS IT SEEKS TO PUSH THROUGH A 2027 BUDGET AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A CENSURE VOTE FORCING NEW NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS...REUTERS

Much has been tossed about regarding the reasons for the recent protests in France, not to mention other European countries.

But one issue runs through all the protests it is the cost of living.

Price rises are driven by the cost of fuel including the cost of diesel fuel used by trucks to deliver goods to stores.

And the rising cost of fuel is driven by the Ukraine War, the Iran War and the Yemen War.

For the political leaders of nations including France to admit that would discredit the wars.   

France under President Emmanuel Macron's current leadership is fully committed to the Ukraine War, participating in the Iran War by defending Israel's close ally the United Arab Emirates.

Now it defends Saudi Arabia in the Yemen War from Houthi attacks through a missile defense deployment.

Indeed, President Emmanuel Macron visited the Persian Gulf region this week.  

His visit illustrating the region's importance as a center of money and energy resources that debt-straddled France is in need of. 

There he offered up comments hostile to a very unpopular world leader without naming him.

"Unacceptable and stupid comments from foreign leaders...those who campaign on the back of France"

The comments of President Macron follow US President Donald Trump's lambasting of the protests and violent incidents surrounding them as being the byproduct of mass immigration into France.

Mr. Trump specifically spoke of a France 'stormed looted and burned by migrants, jihadists and communists'

Trump said that if Democrats win the US election on November 3rd America faces a similar fate.

                   BFM-TV France (Translation Prompt)

Then the turn of events towards the end of the week first the government's ban on Saturday protests not sponsored by labor unions.

Curfews imposed in some parts of Paris during overnight hours.

Then the announcement that 70,000 police would be deployed to counter today's protests.

And then the attacks yesterday in the western Paris suburbs a gunman killing one wounding five.

Those attacks called an act of terrorism by President Emmanuel Macron as well as a racist attack a 'turning point in the life of our Republic'.

He pointed to an attack based on skin color and religion as he appeared in Trappes near the scenes of the attacks.

Macron calling for 'concord' and 'unity' in France.

                   BFM-TV France (Translation Prompt)

The mayor of the town of Trappes Ali Rabeh said a 12-year-old girl hurt in attack is in intensive care...BFM-TV STORY

US President Donald Trump urging the NFL to cancel a Sunday game being played in Paris.   

Mr. Trump on Monday blamed the violence in France on mass immigration into country including Muslims.

At one point Mr. Trump said "Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon"...

                    THE PROTESTS TODAY 

Police closed 24 Metro stations in Paris today.

Police banning a protest route negotiated with union organizers in the city of Paris.

One could describe these as very deliberate moves to prevent and provoke demonstrations today.

This morning the use of tear gas discussed its effects in the media in the end tear gas deployed in Lyon today to disperse a crowd.

People gathered to protest in spite of a ban on demonstrations imposed there.

The protest route desired by police near the ring road around Paris far from its center is where the demonstration took place this afternoon.

Police used water cannon on the demonstrators in Paris amid various crackdowns in other cities.

TONIGHT, THE COFLICTING CLAIMS OF PROTEST CROWDS.

THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR WITH AN ESTIMATE OF 410,000 THE CGT TRADE UNION FEDERATION REPORTING 800,000.

FOR THE PARIS DEMONSTRATION THE GOVERNMENT ESTIMATE 110,000 THE CGT 250,000...

THE PROTEST IN PARIS SATURDAY OCTOBER 24TH, 2026

Outside Lyon in St. Etienne 400 protesters reported blocking the A 72 motorway in both directions.

There were nearly 1,000 arrests according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.

                                      BFM-TV LIVE BLOG

                                                 For now that's news from France.