France: Clashes break out at student demo in Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron is on the brink of announcing a third national lockdown as coronavirus cases continue to rise at an alarming rate. But shutting down the country again will not be welcomed by huge swathes of the country, as discontent over a third lockdown is growing. Unions have threatened widespread demonstrations and protests have already started to erupt in Paris.
Protests erupted on several occasions last year, in opposition to stringent lockdown rules, mandatory mask-wearing and the government’s education policies during the pandemic.
But a fresh wave of civil unrest is expected to break out if the French Government imposes a third lockdown.
Such a move is heavily opposed by large sections of the population, with a poll by French newspaper Le Figaro finding 60 percent would be against another lockdown, with just 40 percent backing the move.
Similarly, an Elabe poll for BFMTV and published yesterday found more than half of the French (52 percent) are against a strict new lockdown like the one last March.
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This shows a marked decline, with 93 percent in favour of lockdown on 18 March 2020, following by 67 percent approval for the second lockdown on October 29.
Just 48 percent back the third.
Unions have already called for demonstrations to take place.
On Tuesday between 10-15 percent of teachers were on strike, in protest against administrative and sanitary measures as well as the usual demands for increased pay and better working conditions.
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A protest movement has also started to grow at Paris airports Orly and Charles de Gaulle, as the unions call for a long and hard strike.
They are demonstrating against the crisis facing the airline sector, as well as wages and working conditions.
Anti-lockdown sentiment is also growing on Twitter, with thousands tweeting #Nolockdown and others calling for #Civildisobedience.
Some users have even called for a “Citizen Disobedience Day” on February 1, inviting restaurants, theatres, sports clubs, bars and cinemas to reopen.
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Mr Macron has so far resisted calls to plunge France into a third national lockdown, opting instead for a 6am-6pm curfew.
The curfew was implemented on January 16 and the Government has given itself two weeks to assess the impact of the measure.
But Government spokesman Gabriel Attal has suggested the 6pm doesn’t go far enough, and said it “does not sufficiently slow down” the spread of COVID-19.
In lieu of the rising opposition to another lockdown, the Government has managed to delay making a firm decision for a couple of days.
But as the infection level continues to rise, with over 20,000 fresh infections being recorded for the fourth straight, Mr Macron will need to make a decision soon.
French politician Florian Philippot, President of The Patriots Party, has vocalised his opposition to another lockdown.
He wrote on Twitter: “The government is studying a “very tight lockdown”.
“They will impose lockdown during the day + curfew in the evening. Total madness.
“The State mistreating a population in danger. React or suffer!”
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega.
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