More Than 400 Hurt During Protests in France

Photo from Ukrinform-UATV

In France, the number of victims during the protests against the hike in taxes and gasoline prices has increased to 409 people, UNN reports, referring to the statement of the interior minister, Christophe Castaner.

“In total 287, 710 protesters took part at 2,034 locations. 409 of them are injured; 14 are in serious condition.Among the police, gendarmes and fire brigade, 28 people were injured. Some were seriously injured,” Castaner said.

The French interior ministry said that nearly 300 protesters were questioned, with 157 among them taken into custody.

The protests started on Saturday and continued today. Around 288 thousand people took part in Saturday’s protests. One person died yesterday when a panicked motorist accidentally rammed into one of the hundreds of roadblocks.

About 3,500 people who took part in Saturday’s protests stayed out overnight to continue demonstrating.

All the protesters wore yellow vests, as a result, the French media called the demonstrators “yellow vests.”

Many turned their anger on President Emmanuel Macron, who they accuse of being out of touch. He is yet to comment on the protests and has seen his popularity drop in polls, to 25 percent.

The president came to power last year vowing to overhaul the French economy. He argues that the hikes are needed to wean the French people off fossil fuels.

The government has announced a number of measures to help poorer families pay their energy and transport bills.

Diesel is set to go up by seven cents a liter and petrol by three cents. Diesel vehicle owners, a majority in France, feel betrayed after decades of the state encouraging diesel engines.