As ‘Yellow Vests’ protests continue in France, Saturday’s planned rally set to go ahead. Recent protests have turned violent, causing millions of euros in damage. Speaking before the French Senate, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said “exceptional resources” would be deployed on Saturday in addition to of 65,000 police officers.
DEMONSTRATION ALERT ON LEVEL 2
The United States Embassy in Paris issued its own demonstration alert, warning of several protest locations, and advised avoiding turbulent areas and keeping a low profile. It also included a number of French media sites published in English where travelers can monitor the news.
“We strongly encourage U.S. citizens who are in, or plan to travel to, France to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program at step.state.gov to receive important emergency information, and follow us on twitter @travelgov and Facebook for additional updates,” wrote a spokeswoman for the State Department, in an email.
“Demonstrations by the ‘Gilets Jaunes’ (yellow vests) and other groups are expected again on December 8, 2018, and may continue through the coming weeks. The groups are protesting fuel prices, taxes, and other government policies. Demonstrations may become violent, resulting in damage to property, including overturning vehicles and setting them on fire. Police responses may include water cannons and/or tear gas.”