France braces for Saturday protests as former Yellow Vests join student-led action
Hundreds of protests are planned across France on Saturday against rising fuel prices and in support of high-school students who have demonstrated for almost a month over classroom conditions. Some former Yellow Vest leaders back the action, but turnout is uncertain.
Nationwide protests are planned in France on Saturday, October 17, against rising fuel prices and in support of high-school students who have been demonstrating for nearly a month to demand better conditions in schools. A map published on Thursday on the website 17octobregiletjaune.net lists more than 1,000 events, including roundabout blockades and gatherings at gas stations and oil depots. A source close to the interior minister, however, estimates that around 250 actions could take place.
How the call emerged
The initiative started with a viral TikTok video by a young man angry about fuel prices. It was later backed by left-wing politicians, including Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel and Green leader Marine Tondelier. The actions were not initially linked to the Yellow Vest movement, which began in 2018 as protests over fuel prices and grew into a wider revolt against economic inequality.
Former leaders respond
Jérôme Rodrigues, a prominent Yellow Vest figure who lost an eye in a 2019 protest, says no Yellow Vest was behind the call and that the label has almost become a brand. He nonetheless sees Saturday as a continuation of the student protests and believes the situation is more serious than in 2018. François Boulo, another leading figure, says the former leaders did not coordinate, but all reacted to police violence against students. Police have opened internal investigations into 36 claims of violence against protesters, including four children allegedly mutilated by explosive weapons.
Sophie Tissier, who was the first to register Yellow Vest demonstrations with the Paris police prefecture in 2018, has registered a protest on the Champs-Élysées. Priscilla Ludosky, whose petition for lower fuel prices gathered more than 1 million signatures, is sceptical, saying no one is clearly leading the current calls.
Uncertain turnout
Environmental groups and a farmers' union have urged people to join. The hard-left CGT union will take part "wherever the conditions are met" but is focused on November 5, when France's main unions have called strikes. It remains unclear whether online enthusiasm will translate into turnout, particularly as France's autumn school holidays begin.
