Yellow vest protestors hit French streets for 21st week

PARIS (AA): Yellow Vest protestors on Saturday took to the streets across France, marking the 21st consecutive week of mass demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron.

The protestors gathered at Republique Square and marched towards La Defense, a major business district outside Paris. Brief brawls erupted between police and the protestors.

According to French media, 43 people were arrested in Paris.

Eight protestors, including Yellow Vest movement’s leader Eric Drouet, were fined for attempting to stage protest on Paris’ Champs-Elysees Avenue. Last Saturday protests were banned on the street.

French interior ministry said that 22,300 people participated in Saturday’s protests while yellow vests claimed this figure was 73,420.

In addition to Paris, protests were held in two northern cities of Rouen and Lille.

Yellow Vest protests began in November 2018 as a reaction to rising fuel costs, which later turned into deadly anti-government riots.

The protests have left 11 people dead and more than 2,000 injured, according to the French government.

Some 8,400 people have been arrested since the beginning of Yellow Vest protests and about 2,000 were remanded in custody.