French yellow vest demonstrators set fires throughout Paris on Saturday.
French yellow vest protesters set fires Saturday along a march through Paris to drive home their message to a government they believe is ignoring the poor: that rebuilding the fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral isn't the only problem France needs to solve.
The protests marked the 23rd straight weekend of yellow vest actions against Macron's centrist government, which they see as favoring the wealthy and big business. Protesters view themselves as standing up for beleaguered French workers , students and retirees who have been battered by high unemployment, high taxes and shrinking purchasing power.Associated Press reporters saw a car, motorbikes and barricades set ablaze around the Place de la Republique plaza in eastern Paris.
Paris police said authorities detained more than 200 people by early afternoon and carried out spot checks on more than 20,000 trying to enter the capital for the protest. Many protesters were deeply saddened by the fire at a national monument . But at the same time they are angry at the $1 billion in donations for Notre Dame renovations that poured in from French tycoons while their own economic demands remain largely unmet and they struggle to make ends meet.
"Paris is very difficult right now," said Paul Harlow of Kansas City, Missouri, as he looked sadly at the damaged Notre Dame. Macron champions pro-business policies that he believes will create much-needed jobs in France. He had been scheduled to lay out his responses to yellow vest concerns on Monday night — tax cuts for lower-income households and measures to boost pensions and help single parents — but canceled the speech after the Notre Dame fire broke out. He's now expected to address the nation on Thursday.
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