Iran Press/Europe: "Yellow Vest" protesters have demonstrated for the eighth week in a row in Paris on Saturday, Sputnik reported.
The French government has scrapped its planned hike in diesel taxes that initially sparked the protests, but the yellow vests have since morphed into a broader movement against government policies and rising living costs.
The popular protests gradually turned into an anti-capitalist movement in France. The yellow vests movement is a populist, grassroots political movement for economic justice that began in France in 2018.
An online petition posted in May reached 300,000 signatures by mid-October and was followed by regular mass demonstrations beginning on 17 November 2018.
The protests have mainly involved marches and the blocking of roads and fuel depots. Some of the protests developed into major riots, described as the most violent protests since 1968.
Yellow vests were chosen as a symbol because, since 2008, a law had required all French motorists to have high-visibility vests in their vehicles when driving. As a result, reflective vests had become widely available, inexpensive, and recognisable, and thus symbolised the protests.
Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron, facing the biggest crisis of his presidency, announced a series of concessions to defuse the crisis, and placate and appease the protesters.
On Saturday, Dec 30, 2018, French Police fired tear gas at "yellow vest" demonstrators in Paris while the turnout for round seven of the popular protests that have rocked France appeared low.
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French Police fire tear gas as yellow vest protests turn violent in Paris
The protesters said the low turnout last week was because of Christmas and New Year Holidays.
According to a recent survey, 84 percent of the French people -- mostly from the middle-income group -- support the protests.
Fuel prices in France rose more than 20 percent in 2018.
The movement also spread to Belgium and the Netherlands in a short time.
Three-quarters of the French are dissatisfied with President Emmanuel Macron’s policies and have appallingly little trust in his ministers, a new opinion poll by Odexa has revealed.
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