We celebrated the 6th anniversary of the Yellow Vests (GJ) movement and
a few dozen roundabouts were temporarily occupied on November 16/17,2024. An opportunity for us to look back on this movement which was not
politically correct for many on the left in 2018/2019... and which has
become THE reference for activists as well as for "specialists" in
social movements. It is even fantasized by people who did not take part
in it or who criticized it at the time. This is part of the usual
rewriting of history, especially for those who aspire to power and who
seek to embellish their CV.
We took part, to our modest extent, in this revolt, which seemed to us,
and still seems to us, one of the most lively and interesting
expressions of the class struggle in France since May 68.
In this file, we will provide a history of the movement, in order to
place the analysis in context and recall the dynamics of the revolt. We
also provide our analysis in this file and give the floor to GJ comrades
and return to the grievance books, all with a view to drawing lessons
for future movements.
Yellow Dynamics
We recall the dynamics of the Yellow Vests movement[1]. This movement
began as a protest against the price of gasoline, mainly in rural and
peri-urban areas, following calls on social networks independently of
union or political organizations. The movement was structured in
particular through Facebook pages, the organization was grassroots, each
roundabout was "self-managed". On many roundabouts, "huts" were built to
create meeting and social places.
This movement was characterized by demonstrations with violent clashes
with the police, some of which turned into riots towards places of power
and wealth (including the Champs Elysées). Hatred of political power,
particularly Macron, was expressed through slogans and songs. The RIC,
Popular Initiative Referendum, became one of the movement's flagship
demands, a political illusion that the movement was unable to lift.
Trade union and political organisations, at the national level, are
looking at this movement with at best neutrality.
The government's reaction will be along the two usual lines: 1/ trying
to find "leaders" with whom to negotiate, but it will be a complete
failure; 2/ significant repression. There are officially 2 deaths, 24
people blinded, 5 hands torn off, 11,000 people placed in police
custody, 4,700 cases have been referred to the courts, more than 3,000
convictions, a third of which have been sentenced to prison, and the
huts are systematically destroyed[2]. Amnesty International has counted
more than 20,000 people convicted of "insulting persons in positions of
public authority".
The movement will gradually crumble but it remains an exceptional social
movement both in terms of its duration and its radical form, outside of
any party or trade union structure.
Notes
[1]Largely inspired by the book "The Revolt of the Yellow Vests", by the
Ahou Ahou collective, published by Niet!. Other sources: "On the Yellow
Vests" by Tristan Leoni, published by Entremonde; Le Monde Diplomatique;
Libération; Le Figaro; Fakir; Reporterre; ...
[2]We are using the figures from Mohamed Belaali's text published on
Agoravox "5 years of the Yellow Vests: a look back at a historic
movement" because these data are sourced.
The emergence (... - November 17, 2018)
May 2018: Priscillia Ludovsky, a small businesswoman, launches a
petition demanding "a reduction in the price of fuel at the pump" and it
goes viral.
January 9, 2018: the interministerial committee for road safety
announces the reduction of the speed limit of 10 km/h on two-way roads
without a central divider.
January-February 2018: in protest, 25 "Anger" Facebook groups associated
with departments are created, and demonstrations are organized:
Périgueux, Bordeaux. During these gatherings, people sometimes wear
fluorescent vests (which were reportedly worn in other protests as early
as 2017, according to the newspaper Fakir), there are blockades of toll
barriers, and the protest concerns taxes, speed cameras, the CSG,
Macron's policy.
Early October 2018: the government announces a sharp increase in the
domestic consumption tax on energy products to "encourage" the
population to acquire "non-polluting" vehicles, and the end of the
exemption from this tax, particularly for transport companies. Before
the government announcement and since October 2017, the average price of
petrol at the pump has increased by 15% and that of diesel by 23%.
October 10, 2018: Éric Drouet, a truck driver in Seine et Marne,
launches a call on Facebook to block the economy for November 17. The
call goes viral and he immediately launches the Facebook group "La
France en colère!" He and Priscillia Ludovsky get in touch. Other
figures appear.
October 24, 2018: a Facebook video viewed by 5 million Internet users
suggests: "Those who agree with the movement, we all have a yellow vest
in our car. Put it prominently on the dashboard!"
October 30, 2018: an event worker, Christophe Torrent, and a student,
Julien Gouve, launch the "17novembre blockade" website, as well as an
interactive map of the blockades.
October 31, 2018: LFI publishes a press release titled "November 17:
legitimate indignation against price increases" which justifies the
movement, without calling for a demonstration either, and condemns the
recovery by the extreme right. LFI will end up clearly supporting the
movement on November 16. On the left, this position is not consensual,
and many hold their noses while denouncing the extreme right,
particularly the CGT.
Early November 2018: the RN and Debout la France print millions of
leaflets denouncing "tax rackets", Macron is heckled and insulted during
various trips, and threats on the 17th are addressed to him, and threats
on the 17th are addressed to him.
November 10-17, 2018:preparation for the first day, meetings in car
parks, near train stations, at the call of Facebook groups. Despite the
insistence of the prefectures, less than 15% of the gatherings planned
for the 17th are declared[3].
November 17, 2018: 280,000 demonstrators and 2,034 blockades are counted
by the Ministry of the Interior, 1 million people out of 3,000 blockades
according to the union "Angry Police". Reactions of support from
motorists and truckers (vests on the dashboard, horns). All the same,
one death and 400 injured, due to road incidents. A few clashes with the
cops, in France and in Walloon Belgium (see box on the GJ
internationally), which coexist with the slogan "The police, with us!"
In Paris, the ring road is blocked. The SGP Police-FO union calls for
not ticketing the GJ vehicles.
The Irritated (November 17 - December 1)
November 17, 2018 in the evening: there are officially 200 blockades
left and certainly many more. The GJ decide to renew the mobilization.
Éric Drouet calls for an "Act II" on November 24 in Paris. In the
following days, the blockades continue.
November 19, 2018 : the Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized
Enterprises is concerned about the economic consequences of the
blockades and asks the government to intervene.
Week of November 17 to 24, 2018: mobile and unpredictable, the GJ
overtake the police, and return to block the place from which they were
evicted a few hours earlier. Tensions rise, clashes with the police, a
toll barrier set on fire. The media change their tone: no more
condescending sympathy, make way for drunken, racist and homophobic
rednecks. November 21, 2018: in 4 days, 745 people were arrested and 599
taken into custody. November 22, 2018: in a circular to magistrates, the
Ministry of Justice calls for "a systematic and rapid criminal response"
to blocking actions. Appearance of the RIC (Citizens' Initiative
Referendum) demand. November 24, 2018: demonstrations and riots in
several cities (Calais, Lyon, Tours). Clashes and barricades around the
Champs Élysées. Many GJ this time came equipped against tear gas.
Successful demonstrations against violence against women at the call of
female politicians and feminist and union organizations, most of which
keep their distance from the GJ, even if here and there, signs of
sympathy from the GJ for the feminist marches have been seen. Laurence
Rossignol, former Minister for Women's Rights, asks the GJ to "keep the
roundabouts flowing". Week of November 24 to December 1, 2018: many
speed cameras are damaged, as well as elected officials' offices.
November 27, 2018: eight "representatives" of the movement, including
Drouet and Ludovsky, are received by the Minister for Ecological
Transition, which leads to nothing. Macron announces the holding of a
"major debate" on the ecological transition and promises to adapt fuel
taxation to fluctuations in oil prices. November 28, 2018: a list of 42
demands, drawn up following a survey of 30,000 GJ, is sent to the press.
Traditionally left-wing demands (reestablishment of the ISF) and
right-wing demands (return of undocumented immigrants) rub shoulders,
but the main ones concern fiscal and social justice and more democracy
(RIC). November 30, 2018: the Prime Minister invited the eight
"representatives" of November 27, only two of them went following
numerous threats against these "reclaimers".
The Overflow (December 1st - 10th)
December 1, 2018: Act III, 600 blockades. "The day of humiliation of the
national police" according to a high-ranking officer. In Paris, the
start of systematic searches to enter the Champs. The water truck
operates from 9 a.m., and, at that same time, some Parisian CRS
companies already have no more grenades. Private mansions set on fire,
Arc de Triomphe ransacked, stores, banks looted... 11,000 grenades fired
and 1,000 LBD shots. A "left-wing" procession joins the demonstration.
In many other cities, riots of varying sizes.
The CGT demonstrates for its part, surrounded by a huge security service.
In Marseille, Zineb Redouane, an 80-year-old woman, is hit in the face
with a tear gas grenade while she is closing her shutters on the 4th
floor. She will die the next day.
Attacks, looting, burning of prefectures, tolls, gendarmeries...
Mélenchon and Le Pen are calling for the dissolution of the National
Assembly. The Alliance police union is calling for a state of emergency.
December 2, 2018: "Moderate Yellow Vests" are calling for "respect for
the institutions of the Fifth Republic." Under threat, they announce
that they are canceling their December 4 meeting with the Prime Minister.
December 3, 2018: The blockades of high schools against Parcoursup and
the baccalaureate reform, which began last week, are intensifying. High
school students are demonstrating, sometimes rioting, looting, and in
some places are joining the GJ. High schools in the most proletarian
areas (former working-class estates in large cities, vocational high
schools, etc.) are the most affected.
December 4, 2018: Édouard Philippe announces a 6-month moratorium on the
increase in fuel tax (two days later, he announces its abolition), on
the increase in the electricity rate, and on the technical inspection of
automobiles.
The CGT 78 publishes a press release to denounce the presence of
Dieudonné on a toll, which did not meet with unanimous approval locally.
Early December 2018: the FNSEA calls for joining the blockades. The CGT
and FO of transport file a notice of unlimited strike starting December
9. This arouses the fervor of the GJ networks, but the call is lifted on
December 7, following the satisfaction of professional demands. The CGT
calls for joining the Saturday demonstrations, but with a red vest.
Entry of many left-wing activists into the movement. Direct action, such
as the damage to radars (75% of the fleet) and sabotage, are increasing.
A Facebook group of teachers, "Les Stylos Rouges" was created to defend
corporatist demands outside of the unions.
Unions and federations are calling to join the GJ for acts III and IV.
But many are focused on mobilizing as part of the mandatory annual
negotiations (NAO) on December 14.
December 6, 2018: more than 300 high schools are disrupted. 152 high
school students are arrested in Mantes-la-Jolie, forced to kneel for
several hours with their hands on their heads. The scene, filmed by a
police officer commenting "here is a class that behaves" will go viral,
and the high school students' posture will be reproduced in many
demonstrations.
All the representative unions (except Solidaires), after being invited
to the negotiating table, sign a press release calling for "dialogue"
and condemning the violence.
December 8, 2018: Act IV, 136,000 demonstrators, as the previous
Saturday, according to the Ministry of the Interior. Gendarmerie armored
vehicles in Paris. Preventive checks on motorway service areas, upstream
of major cities. According to the Canard Enchaîné, Macron spent the day
in a bunker, with a helicopter ready to take off. 2,000 arrests. New
left-wing procession in Paris, in Toulouse.
Hangover and Backfire (December 10, 2018 - January 5, 2019)
After December 8, 2018: the blocking roadblocks increasingly give way to
filter roadblocks, the Saturday riots become ritual, to the detriment of
the blockades, and the propaganda about job losses is omnipresent. The
high school blockades continue. The demand for the RIC, popularized by a
video by Maxime Nicolle (aka Fly Rider, a media-friendly and confused
gilet) on December 5, is gaining momentum.
December 10, 2018: Macron speaks on TV for the first time. He announces
measures worth 10 billion euros: increase in the minimum wage, exemption
from overtime, cancellation of the increase in contributions for
retirees, payment to employees of a bonus on a voluntary basis by
employers "who can". In reality, most of these measures are short-term
and are intended to be caught up in the following months.
December 11, 2018: A madman shoots into a crowd at the Strasbourg
market, killing five people. The government calls for no protests out of
respect for the victims.
December 15 to 22, 2018: Evacuation of blockades and roundabouts
nationwide, and strong repression of high school students. 66,000
demonstrators on the 15th and 38,600 on the 22nd. Order is generally
maintained in Paris, but prefectures are stormed.
December 2018 - January 2019: Many civic associations are created within
the movement, with searches for outlets, respectability and political
representation, breaking with a more radical fringe that seeks action.
Tensions, ruptures, fights, splits, etc., on the roundabouts.
December 25 and 31, 2018: in different places, GJ will celebrate the
end-of-year holidays together in places of the movement.
January 5, 2019: Act VIII, the number of Saturday demonstrators is
increasing in most large cities, inverse curve of the local presence on
the roundabouts. The annex of the Ministry of Economy and Finance is
broken into with a pallet truck and Christophe Dettinger punches a CRS
officer with his bare hands.
Becoming a social movement (January 5 - February 5)
January 6, 2019: Specific demonstrations by GJ women are held in several
cities (see box on GJ women).
January 7, 2019: Mr. Philippe reports on a new "anti-rioters" bill and
promises to strengthen police resources. Luc Ferry, former Minister of
National Education, declares regarding the possibilities for the police
to "defend" themselves: "Let them use their weapons once and for all!"
January 12 and 19, 2019: Acts IX and X, 84,000 demonstrators. The
sociology of the movement has changed, more precarious urban
proletarians join the Saturday "acts". Political activists familiar with
social movements are present in large numbers, the "assembly" form is
gaining weight and the struggle is becoming structured (anti-rep, street
medics).
January 12 - February 9, 2019: for each of these "acts", a declaration
of demonstration is filed with the prefecture in Paris (and in other
cities), and a security service of "mercenaries" is formed to enforce
the route. This does not always work, and undeclared demonstrations (in
Toulouse for example) are more followed.
January 15, 2019: opening of the "Grand Débat" called by Macron, for
three months. 10,000 local meetings, several million contributions on
the internet or in grievance books (see the article on grievance books).
Local events will be regularly disrupted, elected officials questioned, etc.
January 26, 2019: in Paris, NPA activists are attacked by the Zouaves, a
far-right group.
January 26-27, 2019: first Assembly of Assemblies (AdA) in Commercy. 250
to 350 participants, mandated by 75 local collectives, see the article
dedicated to the CJ of Commercy.
February 9, 2019: after several Saturdays of clashes, a big fight pits
far-right groups against antifas in Lyon, and in the end, it is the good
guys who win.
January-February 2019: the assemblies, often in the city, bring together
"yellow vests of origin" with left-wing activists. They are joined by
many GJ because the local rural struggle is losing momentum. Note that
in Lyon pu for example, a general meeting at the Bourse du Travail took
place on December 17.
The GJ are requested in support of box struggles, and their presence (or
simply the threat of their presence) helps to open negotiations, and
often to win.
Yellow vests, unions and autonomous groups: alliances like dogs of
faience (February 5 - March 16)
February 5, 2019: a call for a strike was filed, and was relayed by the
GJ. But it was not prepared, brought together its usual audience (civil
servants and large private companies) and only gave rise to large-scale
actions between GJ and union members in some places.
February 16, 2019: a march left from various cities in the South, for
the RIC, heading for Paris.
March 6, 2019: faced with the increase in mutilations and injuries
linked to police violence, the United Nations asked France for "a
thorough investigation into all reported cases of excessive use of force."
March 7, 2019: Macron declared "Do not talk about repression or police
violence, these words are unacceptable in a state governed by the rule
of law."
March 9, 2019: women led several GJ demonstrations, the day after the
day of struggle for women's rights.
March 13, 2019: Parliament adopts the "anti-rioters" law. It comes into
force a month later.
March 16, 2019: Act XVIII, first "Ultimatum" (others, paradoxically,
will follow), ransacking of the Champs Élysées, Fouquet's in flames.
This will be the last major riotous coup by the GJ, the day after the
end of the "Grand Débat". The police prefect is dismissed, and Didier
Lallement replaces him. Those who wanted to bring together the three
Parisian demonstrations (undocumented, climate and GJ) will have only
witnessed their mutual ignorance.
After March 16: A Struggle Without End(s)
The movement continues, declining, relying mainly on Saturday
demonstrations in large cities, with their repression, in an endless
ritual. The GJ join and dilute themselves in local struggles, keeping
the spirit of the movement alive.
March 19, 2019: second day of strike called by the unions.
March 23, 2019: use of 160 soldiers to "secure" places of power, purely
media announcement that does not really commit the power.
In Nice, Geneviève Legay, 73, is seriously injured during a charge.
April 4-7, 2019: second AdA in St Nazaire, 800 people, 200 local
collectives.
April 25, 2019: Macron announces that he wants to "significantly" reduce
income tax, a reduction of 5 billion euros will be voted on in the fall
in the 2020 budget.
May 1, 2019: "intrusion" affair at the Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris.
May 26, 2019: European elections, debates in the movement on the
strategy to adopt. The lists claiming to be GJ collect less than 1% of
the votes cast.
June 16, 2019: Mr. Castaner rewards members of the police force targeted
by investigations for police violence against the yellow vests.
June 29-30, 2019: third AdA in Montceau-les-Mines, 700 people, 246 groups...
September 21, 2019: we see demonstrators in GJ in the demonstrations for
the climate or against the pension reform.
November 1-3, 2019: fourth AdA, in Montpellier, 500 people, 200 groups
December 5, 2019: start of an exceptionally long strike at RATP and
SNCF, and of a large-scale social movement, against the points-based
pension reform. The GJ take an important part in it.
March 17, 2020: first lockdown in France, decided by the government
following the spread of covid-19. This event marks the end of the fight
against pension reform, and in a certain way, that of the GJ, by the
rupture of social ties that it causes.
RV and zyg
https://oclibertaire.lautre.net/spip.php?article4341
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