Peaceful Protest Turns into Violence in Le Puy -- December 1

Le Puy-en-Velay was one of many cities throughout the country where the Gilet Jaune protest occurred on Saturday, December 1. The protest began peacefully at 10 a.m. but ended up in violence that didn't end until 12 hours later. Two wings of the prefecture of the Haute-Loire (state government offices) were set on fire by the Casseurs, thugs who join public demonstrations in order to commit violent acts and cause chaos. They are typically disenfranchised people who feel they have nothing to lose. They donned a gilet jaune (yellow vest), a symbol of the protest, in order to mix in with the crowd.

Police and the peaceful demonstrators were both taken by surprise at the violence in this sleepy tourist town of 20,000 people. Many police were traumatized. In covering the day, the headlines of the local newspaper, L'Éveil, asked a simple question: "Why?" Below is a summary of the  newspaper's  account of the events. Photos were taken by L'Éveil photographers. 

At 10 a.m. the Gilets Jaunes march on the north side of the ring road around the city and completely block all traffic. They are heading for Breuil Square, which fronts the Prefecture, the region's government building. About 3,000 persons participate in a peaceful demonstration. However, by 1 p.m. tensions are raised and 30 demonstrators taunt police and soldiers who are positioned behind the gates of the Prefecture. 

  Photo by © Vincent JOLFRE

Eventually, the crowd forces open the gates and enters the courtyard. Police use tear gas to disperse them, and several people are hurt. Ambulances are called to come to their aid. Surveillance cameras mounted on the building have been broken. 

At 4 someone lights a fire in front of the gate of the Prefecture and claims that they did this because the Prefect would not talk with them. At 5 Laurent Wauquiez (right), president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and president of the Republican Party, meets with protesters to discuss their demands.  

 
At the same time, the crowd shoots tear gas toward the Prefecture. A farmer who brought a haystack with him to the demonstration sets it on fire in front of the gate. Someone else adds tires to the fire. Others sprinkle officials with fire extinguishers to blind them. Police quickly disperse this group. 

At 5:30 some people try to force their way into the Prefecture but without success. Soon afterward they exchange blows with police, who eventually retreat. Even though it is dark at this hour, there are still several hundred Gilets Jaunes in the square. Some of them take paving stones from the Breuil Fountain and throw them at police. At 6:20 someone set a fire inside the Prefecture. By 9 it is extinguished. 

At 7, a delegation of seven Gilets Jaunes meets with Prefect Yves Rousset (center) where they share their complaints. The prefect promises to bring their complaints to the French government, but warns the delegation against continued violence. While this meeting is going on, someone sets fire to the parking machine located in the parking lot outside the Prefecture as well as to the other wing of the building, and on trash in front of the gate.  

Others knock over a glass recycling bin and start throwing bottles at the Prefecture building.

Firefighters have a difficult time getting to the fires. By 8:20 the scene has escalated to chaos. At 9, 20 CRS (national police) arrive. They clear the square and make at least six arrests. By 10, order has been restored in the city. Twenty demonstrators and police have been wounded.    


President Macron Visits Le Puy
On Monday, December 3, French President Emmanuel Macron came to the city without advance warning or fanfare.  His visit was characterized by L'Éveil as "furtive." People who happened to see the president's motorcade mocked him and called for his resignation, as have Gilet Jaune protesters throughout France.

The purpose of Macron's visit was to see the damage done to the Prefecture and to honor those who protected the city on Saturday. 


In a tweet published on Tuesday, December 4, Macron said:

"To the agents of the Prefecture of Puy-en-Velay: you experienced something terrible Saturday. Nothing justifies this violence. Through you, it is the state that has been attacked. But who else but the state responds to everyone's anger? Who educates? Who cares? Who helps ? It's you. I will never let the state be attacked for that reason. Your sadness I share it. I am proud of you."

Citizens in Le Puy were shocked by the violence and dismayed at the way it happened. 

Three people were arrested during the violence at the prefecture and tried in court on Monday, December 3. Two of them were sentenced to three months in prison and the third person's case was dismissed. The defendants told L'Éveil reporters that they had never done such violent deeds before in their lives and didn't understand what came over them. It was later revealed that many people on Saturday night were drunk. 

"Gilet Jaunes" Descend on France

Veronique De Viguerie/Getty Images

The scene on Saturday, December 1 at the Arc of Triumph in Paris was ugly. Just three weeks before leaders from all over the world met here and solemnly payed tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Armistice. Now the iconic symbol of France was clouded by tear gas, defaced, and surrounded by police trying to protect it from the "Casseurs," those who aimed to do violence to the monument. The Casseurs regularly attach themselves to public demonstrations and cause violent chaos. They are disenfranchised individuals who feel they have nothing to lose by their actions.

While the "Gilets Jaunes" (yellow vests) had been peacefully protesting in the streets all over France for the past two weeks, extremists from the Left and the Right mixed in with them on Saturday to raise their ire over capitalism, injustice against the poor, and general ennui over the Macron-led administration. By the following week, other groups joined the Gilets Jaunes and called for labor reforms, educational reform, and the like.

In Paris, the Casseurs' violent actions ended up costing an estimated 100 million euros in property damage on stores and boutiques in some of the wealthiest sections of the city. These people also overturned cars and sometimes set them on fire. More than 400 people were taken into custody, three died, and about 260 people were wounded. 

President Emmanuel Macron, who was in Argentina for the G-20 summit, promptly returned to Paris to meet with his cabinet ministers to determine how to respond to the crisis. He also cancelled his trip to a major environmental conference in Katowice, Poland. The environment has been one of Macron's signature policies of his administration, which began in May 2017. He has been an international advocate of curbing the use of fossil fuels by 2020, reducing the use of nuclear energy, and switching over to renewable energy sources like wind and solar.  

Who Are the Gilets Jaunes?
The Gilets Jaunes are a leaderless protest group that spontaneously emerged last month thanks to social media. They gather in key places on major highways throughout the nation with the aim of slowing down traffic in order to bring attention to the unfairness of the tax on oil set to be implemented in January 2019. They also took over highway toll booths and allowed vehicles to pass through for free. The toll booths are privately owned. 

The protesters used yellow vests as a rallying cry and identifiable symbol of their protest. The vests are part of a safety kit required by law  in October 2008 to be carried by motorists for emergencies. The kit includes a yellow vest, a reflector warning triangle, bandages, and gloves. The Gilets Jaunes use the yellow vests use as a symbol of government oppression.

Recently, the Macron government announced a plan for an Ecological Transition in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels and to encourage people to buy electric cars. This is a program that came out of the December 2015 Paris Agreement that addressed the problem of climate change by mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to new technologies, and financing such efforts starting in 2020. Macron sought to hike gasoline taxes beginning in January 2019 to reduce the use of fossil fuels. In another measure he gave people an allowance to buy electric cars, however, it was quite a bit less than the cost of such cars. 

While this plan attempts to address climate change, it burdens people with the expense of making the transition to more ecological transportation. People who live in big cities would not be affected in the same way as people who live in rural areas. They have public transportation options (buses, trains, trams, bicycles) while people living in the country must rely on their cars to get to work. Many of these people are poor and paying the extra tax would pose an undue burden on them. 

Meanwhile, in trying to encourage big corporations to hire more people, Macron gave them tax breaks. This action infuriated citizens because they felt he was favoring the rich. Macron, himself a millionaire, was an investment banker before he went into public service. Among his positions in government was his appointment as Minister of Economy, Industry, and Digital Affairs in August 2014 where he was known for pushing through business-friendly reforms. He ran for president in 2017 as a centrist and defeated the far right candidate Marine La Pen. 

The Gilets Jaunes are calling for the 40-year-old president's  resignation. 

Marianne, the symbol of France since the French Revolution, was badly damaged at the 
Arc of Triumph during demonstrations in Paris held on Saturday, December 1
(AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

May 1968
Some news commentators have called the Gilets Jaunes a movement and compared it to the May 1968 period of civil unrest where there were massive general strikes and the occupation of universities and factories across France. At its height, the entire economy of France came to a virtual halt. Political leaders feared civil war or revolution and President Charles de Gaulle secretly fled France for a few hours in order to protect the Elysée Palace, the presidential residence, because "nobody attacks an empty palace." 

The protests spurred an artistic movement and became a cultural, social, and moral turning point in French history. Alain Geismar—one of the leaders of the time—later pointed out, the movement succeeded "as a social revolution, not as a political one".

It remains to be seen what the Gilet Jaune movement will mean and what outcome will result. 

Armistice 100th Anniversary Commemoration in Paris

The scene was Paris on a windy and rainy day where 70 world leaders came to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I on November 11, 1918.

President Emmanuel Macron would make a stirring speech to learn the lessons of the war in order to resolve conflicts, avert wars, and spread prosperity, especially in this new era of rising nationalism. Meanwhile, organisers took pains to make the ceremony deliberately international and cross-cultural. 


The streets were eerily clear of people for reasons of security as the leaders gathered in a covered space under the Arc of Triumph. Mayor Anne Hildalgo of Paris provided large TV screens in neighborhoods throughout the city so that people could see the ceremony.



Some 10,000 police were on duty to ensure maximum security in a city repeatedly targeted by jihadists since 2015. There were no reported incidents.






The day began with President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Bridgette, welcoming their guests at the Élysée Palace. 

Macron escorted the leaders from the Palace to buses that transported them to the Arc of Triumph for Armistice ceremonies. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany walked with Macron in a symbolic gesture of peace.

Donald Trump did not join the other leaders at the Palace. Instead, his limousine took him directly to the Arc of Triumph because of a  security threat posed by Femen, a radical feminist activist group that fights for women's rights. The group organizes topless protests against sex tourism, religious institutions, homophobia, and sexism. It was founded in Ukraine, but is now based in Paris. The day before Trump failed to visit the American cemetery of war dead because of rain. He also snubbed the Paris Peace Forum that was to take place after the memorial service. 

The Paris Peace Forum was conceived by Macron to highlight the importance of international institutions in helping resolve conflicts, avert wars and spread prosperity. 

Vladimir Putin of Russia also showed up late and made a grand entrance at the Arc of Triumph as well.




The ceremonies were dignified, solemn, and moving. They included military reviews, pomp, and the recognition of soldiers' service in the past and present.

Of course, the day remained focused on the fallen and the veterans who served their country.

There were musical performances by famous personalities and students alike. 


Yo-Yo Ma performed a cello solo. The U.S-Chinese artist, who received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010, was born in Paris in 1955.



Angelique Kidjo of Benin sang "Blewu" in tribute to the colonial troops who fought for France during the war. She is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. National Public Radio called her "Africa's greatest living diva", and New African magazine and Jeune Afrique listed her among the "2014 Most Influential Africans." Forbes Afrique put Kidjo on the cover of their "100 most influential women" issue in 2015. She now lives in New York.

The European Union Youth Orchestra, an ensemble of young musicians from all over the continent, performed Ravel’s Bolero led by Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko of Russia.

Many other youth who participated, which illustrated that the intent was to praise the future by remembering the past. These three youngsters read letters from World War I soldiers. 

A group of young people circled the Eternal Flame in a climatic end to ceremonies. 

Macron gave a special greeting and thanks to the young people for their part on this solemn day.

At precisely 11 a.m., church bells rang throughout Paris--and France. Here is a split screen view of some Parisian churches.

 As President Macron stood before the Eternal Flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he made a powerful speech that called on leaders to work for unity, peace, and internationalism.

“Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism. Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism. In saying 'Our interests first, whatever happens to the others,' you erase the most precious thing a nation can have, that which makes it live, that which causes it to be great and that which is most important: its moral values."

Macron laid a wreath of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.





He "re-lit" the Eternal Flame with the support of youth.

A lone bugle called an end to the memorial service.

Armistice -- 100 Years

© Collections BDIC/Delasalle, Angèle | Une scène de l'armistice, 11 novembre 1918

The Armistice declared the end of World War I on November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m., and there was, of course, great jubilation. Ten million soldiers and 8 million civilians were killed, the greatest devastation the world had ever seen at the time. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Armistice. I feel privileged to be able to celebrate this anniversary in France where the effects of that war are still deeply felt.


According to an article by University of Paris Professor Dominique Kalifa in Histoire & Civilization magazine (October 2018) France alone lost 1.4 million French soldiers with a quarter of them between ages 18-27. Among civilians, 300,000 were killed and 240,000 died of Spanish flu. Four million soldiers were wounded or mutilated including 15,000 whose faces were severely disfigured (a.k.a. gueules cassés).

There were countless others who suffered from psychological troubles, now known as PTSD, that included hallucinations, melancholy, mental breakdown, sleeping difficulties, mood swings, sexual pathologies, and speechlessness. 

Every family was touched by the war. The war produced 600,000 widows and one million fatherless children. The nation's birth rate subsequently declined severely because of the loss of so many young men. Many soldiers who returned home were not recognizable by their children. Other soldiers were unable to resume their place in society or the workplace; they suffered from complete bitterness as a result. 

The devastation to human beings was matched by the physical destruction of 550,000 houses and 20,000 public buildings, 3 million hectares (7.5 million acres) of agricultural land, 60,000 kilometers (37,300 miles) of roads, 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) of railroads, 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) of canals. 

In the northern and eastern parts of France, whole forests disappeared, the land was covered with gaping holes and trenches, and the soil was made toxic from millions of tons of scrap iron, debris, and cadavers. Dozens of villages remained abandoned because the wreckage was too difficult to clear. Manufacturing and mining were halted or greatly diminished until the mid-1920s. The cost of reconstruction was 35 billion francs or more than the entire national budget of France at the time. Inflation was rampant, and the economy took more than 6 years to recover. 

War memorial in St. Didier

Most towns have a war memorial in the center square. In fact, 36,000 memorials were erected in France between 1920-25 with the inscription "à nos morts" (to our dead).  

War Memorial in the local church at St. Julien Chapteuil

Churches also display marble war memorial plaques that alphabetically list the names of local citizens who had fallen. It is plain to see the multiple losses of sons that many families endured. 

Many cities have planted trees in city squares to remember the dead, like this one in Le Puy, which is located across from the City Hall. This tradition that signifies both victory and remembrance to the fallen started after the French Revolution (1789-99). 








Every year on the morning of November 11, veterans, mayors, local authorities, gendarmes, and military officials pay tribute to the fallen in war. 

Gendarmes of Le Puy 

Eternal Rest Granted Unto WWI Hero

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War, and the French media has recognized and solemnly memorialized it with stories about the war and many of its people. L'Éveil, the local newspaper of Le Puy and the Haute-Loire region, ran a story about Corporal Auguste Sabatier, a 25-year-old army nurse of the 121st Regiment, whose body was exhumed from the military cemetery in Nanterre (near Paris) to be interred in his family's plot in Saugues, a village in south-central France about 50 minutes west of Le Puy. 
An interment ceremony took place there on November 10 with all the honors due his rank. He will now be more than a name on a church wall dedicated to the 130 fallen soldiers of Saugues. This all happened thanks to Auguste's great nephew, Rolland Sabatier.

Rolland wanted to bring his great uncle home again on this 100th anniversary of his death after he learned about his life through the French military archives. He also went through a complex process of working with the National Office of Former Combatants and Victims of War and by gaining the support for his plan through the mayors of Saugues and Nanterre. 

Auguste was killed on August 20, 1917, at 5:30 a.m. rescuing wounded soldiers on the front lines of Verdun less than an hour after the battle to re-take Côte 304 had started. 

It turns out that Sabatier was one of the war's heroes having been cited for two Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) medals, which were posthumously given to him in 1921 by Paul Deschanel, the president of the Republic of France. He had previously received the St. Georges medal, a Russian decoration, for saving the lives of Russian soldiers in numerous battles. His bravery had also been cited on numerous other occasions. 

As was the custom at the time, talking about a deceased soldier was considered a taboo subject, so they were often forgotten. However, Rolland remembers his grandmother being extremely sad every November 11, the day of the Armistice. The wound of her loss of Auguste had never healed. 

One day in 2004, Rolland found by chance a cache of old family photos that included several of Auguste. He considered it "a small miracle" that helped him learn more about his uncle and to "close the loop" of information that had been previously been suppressed. 

The newspaper shared these photos of him; his wife, Albertine who was 6 weeks pregnant at the time of his death; and his friends. The story helps to document the effect of the war on ordinary people and its haunting losses.