From Can Erozden
PARIS
The estimated damage caused by the protests of the “yellow vests” in the French capital Paris against fuel taxes last weekend was, according to local media, on Monday 3 to 4 million euros (3.4 to 4.5 million US dollars) .
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, told France 3, a local broadcaster, that she estimates that the riots on Saturday cost Paris “between EUR 3 and 4 million”.
Thousands of “yellow vest” demonstrators had gathered in Paris and several other cities to protest against French President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial fuel tax.
Protesters, who generally live in rural areas due to high rents in cities, urged Macron to cut fuel taxes and take economic precautions to make their lives easier.
The French police used tear gas and water cannons against demonstrators around the famous Champs-Elysees in Paris on Saturday.
Protesters set fire to large numbers of vehicles and rubbish bins, and threw stones and bottles at the police.
At least two people were killed in the riots, 1,043 others – including 222 security guards – injured and 1,424 people arrested.
According to a recent poll, 84 percent of French people – mainly middle-income groups – support the protests.
In the past year, fuel prices in France have increased by more than 20 percent.
Macron postpones the visit to Serbia
In the meantime, Macron has postponed his visit to Serbia because of the unrest over “yellow vests” in France, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Monday.
Macron was supposed to go to Serbia on December 5th, but postponed his visit to the Balkans.
Speaking at a press conference, Vucic said Macron had told him by phone that he had postponed his visit to Belgrade because of the ongoing protests against the fuel tax in France.
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