Solidarity with French workers and students

Over the last few weeks France has been rocked by a new movement – the Gilet Jaunes – named after the high-vis jackets that all drivers in the country are required by law to have. The protests have been aimed at the new tax on fuel. Such has been the strength of these protests that this tax increase has now been withdrawn. But it is perhaps too little too late as the movement has morphed into a broader anti-austerity campiagn. This week has seen tens of thousands of high school students leave their classrooms in order to support the protests. The French police have reacted violently to these student protests. A video of French school students being humiliated by the French police in Mantes-la-Jolie (700 students were forced to kneel on the ground with their hands on their heads) has now had more than 4 million views.

At the Place de la Republique and throughout France school students have protested this treatment re-enacting that scene from Mantes-la-Jolie. As the situation deteriorates the Macron government is rushing troops and riot police to the capital. There will be more protests tomorrow and we extend our solidarity to those opposing this repression and fighting for justice and equality.