Paris is like a city under siege. All important objects of the French capital are heavily guarded. Police armored vehicles are deployed on the streets. The gendarmerie is conducting raids. Passers' documentation and bags are checked. The majority of citizens do not express discontent, being understanding about the current situation: and it is serious, to the extent that the Elysée Palace is afraid that a coup is possible. President Emmanuel Macron and his inner circle brainstorm constantly: what to do next?
Saturday clashes were tough. Fortunately, there were no casualties. According to official data, at least 1,500 people were detained. The "rioters" claim that the number is even higher. The experts take note of some signs of panic in the French leadership. As well as a misunderstanding between the president and the prime minister. The PM's decision to postpone the increase in taxes and gasoline prices was replaced with their abolition by the president. At one point, they even discussed the resignation of the head of government, but Emmanuel Macron decided not to sacrifice Edouard Philippe. As they say, because of fears that key ministers will resign in solidarity with Philip. According to another version - Philippe's resignation would have changed nothing.
Perhaps some confusion at the highest level forced ordinary French citizens to take their own measures for self-defense. Most cafes, restaurants are not just closed, but barricaded. A photograph of a beer restaurant in central Paris is very popular on social media, which owner erected a very tall black wall around his restaurant within hours to protect it from the rebellion.
Additional concern for both ordinary Parisians and security officials is the fact that the protesters are armed. Such probability is extremely high - one of the metropolitan police stations was recently attacked, the raiders took possession of a number of weapons and ammunition (not specified) . However, they say that this is just gossip, in fact, the gendarmerie’s car was robbed, but the weapons were indeed “taken away” from this car.
The Liberation newspaper writes: the government, by instilling fear, is trying to dissuade the protesters to take to the streets, while recognizing that the concession to the "yellow vests" in the form of the abolition of increased fuel taxes did not satisfy the protesters - the calls are radicalized, they demand to dissolve parliament and even to seize Elysee Palace: "Decisive days have come for Emmanuel Macron - his future presidential career will be directly affected by possible looting, causalities."
Naturally, external support for "yellow vests" is being discussed. So far, of rhetorical nature, and, as understandable, with the mention of Russia in this context. Le Figaro made a curious classification of rebels. The newspaper writes that the disorder was arranged not by a "homogeneous environment." Three groups are easily distinguished among the insurgents: ultras, without special meaning - “left” or “right”; young people from dysfunctional Parisian suburbs, inspired by the opportunity to loot and rob stores; and, finally, the active petty bourgeoisie from the provinces, which teamed up with the so-called provincial proletariat.
According to French security officials, up to 80 thousand people participated in recent addresses and riots. Supposedly just as many people can take part in the "new attack". It's not the limit - the number of "rebels" increases. They are deaf to the calls of the authorities to return to ordinary life and resolve issues in a civilized manner. As a precautionary measure, Paris museums do not work, as well as most restaurants, cafes, and shops in the central part. The tourism industry is suffering great losses.
It is happening not in Africa, or some former Soviet Union country, which has not become stable over the years of independence, but in France - the richest country in the world! However, this richest country in the world has a great revolutionary experience. And it's not just about the series of uprisings and reactions of the 18th century or the 1830-1870 events. It is appropriate to recall the not so old student riots of 1968, or even the very recent 2005 pogroms. The French are easy-going.
Ordinary people have their own opinion about what happens. Valery Khebrelashvili, an entrepreneur in the tourism industry, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, said that, in his opinion, current events are generated by the staggering foundations of French society, the changes not pleasant or understandable to everyone. "I dreamed all my life about Paris. Why? I don’t even know. About 10 years ago I bought a tiny apartment in the center of the French capital. Since then, my wife and I always dreamed of vacation or holidays to live in our beloved city. But we have become less interested in Paris for some time. When we go to France, we have a day or two in Paris, but mostly travel around the country. I have never been a nationalist, a racist, etc. - I was born, grew up and spent half his life in Tbilisi. Who knows what Tbilisi is, he will understand what I mean. For those who don’t know - Tbilisi is a boiler with mixed nationalities, languages, customs, and where, at least at the household level, when I lived there, nationality did not play any role in the urban community. One can live all his life with a neighbor side by side, not knowing that he was Greek or Kurd. And why should it matter if people lived respecting each other, avoiding contradictions, taking into account mutual opinions and moods. But something went wrong in Paris, in my opinion. From a certain moment the emigrants ceased to assimilate, they no longer get used to French society. Or the city and society could not “swallow” such a number of foreigners who continued to live according to the laws and customs of their native places after moving to Paris. Polyphony did not work out, they have cacophony instead. I (and there are a lot of people like me - Russians linked to Paris for various reasons, and we communicate with each other) feel uncomfortable in this city, which attracted me since childhood. And others changed their attitude as well. I talked with the indigenous Parisians. They told me the same thing. Many, very many people do not like the invasion from the African continent and from the East. The long-term way of life is falling apart, due to which people have to give up their habits, their way of life. I know cases when Parisians left for a province not yet reached by the migratory wave. It seems to me that it can be one of the reasons caused the outbreak of aggression. Gasoline is gasoline, taxes are taxes, but it has coincided with the discontent boiling inside the society, which resulted in such an emission with pogroms, arsons and looting. "
Hebrelashvili's story is confirmed by the story of another man. Henri Mauchamp, an ethnic Armenian who lived his entire adult life in Paris, a man with a small but stable income, moved his whole family to their historic home a few years ago, where he opened a simple French-style cafe: "It has become impossible here. I I simply could not live like a normal person. It was not the same Paris. I was afraid of letting my daughters go outside even though we didn’t live in the émigré quarter. I was shaking until my son returned home from school or a party. I may not provide for a family as before, and have a smaller income, my family still does not quite understand and accept the local way of life, but I can definitely say - we feel more secure here. "
