Paris protest coordinator on government's U-turn
764 views · Published 9 December 2018 · 2:05 · Indexed 6 November 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(4 Dec 2018) The French government's decision to suspend fuel tax and utility price hikes Tuesday did little to appease protesters who vowed to fight on after large-scale rioting in Paris last weekend. In a major U-turn for the government, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced in a live televised address that the planned increases set for January would be postponed until summer. But Paris yellow vest protest coordinator Thierry Paul Valette said the government's move came too late and did not respond to the real issues. "The price of the fuel was the straw that broke the camel's back and Edouard Philippe is acting on the last straw but not to the overall problem," Valette told The Associated Press, adding protesters would continue to demonstrate. "We will be here next Saturday, in Paris, we are mobilising ourselves. We will continue to gather in France, we won't stop." "We are against violence, we don't want it, but we will maintain our presence and the established ratio of power on the field," he added. The backpedalling by President Emmanuel Macron's government appeared designed to calm the nation three days after the worst unrest on the streets of Paris in decades. But demonstrations continued around the country Tuesday and more protests were expected this weekend in Paris. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/e3881b43bd179f21b0b8902704ea6e0f
