Major tourist sites in Paris have reopened after a violent protest on Saturday, the latest in a series of protests in France called the Yellow Vest Movement over increased taxes on fuel and economic inequality. In preparation of the protests, the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Galeries Lafayette, and luxury boutiques, restaurants and businesses on the Champs-Elysees shut for security reasons.
According to the Chicago Tribune, at least 71 people were injured in Paris during Saturday’s protest. Protests also took place in the French cities of Marseille, Toulouse and Bordeaux, at the French-Italian border, and in Belgium.
The New York Times reports that the Arc de Triomphe was defaced during the protests with graffiti, and that protestors broke into its museum, as well as smashed shop windows on a nearby avenue. Protestors in Bordeaux also set multiple street fires and took over one of the oldest shopping streets in the city.
Both the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower reported that they were closed Saturday, and that they reopened on Sunday.
The Guardian reports that police worked to prevent violence around the Champs Élysées, which caused the destruction to become spread around the capital. On Sunday, trucks had to tow away burned-out cars and motorcycles as part of the cleanup effort. Emmanuel Macron is set to address the people of France Monday night regarding the protestors’ grievances, his first public comment on the issue in four weeks.
The movement has begun to damage France’s economy, according to The Guardian. On Monday, the central bank of France halved its growth forecast for the fourth quarter, putting it far behind the country’s targets for growth during the entire year.
This story originally appeared on www.travelagentcentral.com.
Related Articles
New Route For La Compagnie: New York to Nice
Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris Debuts Arctic Pop-Up Terrace
Christmas in Paris: Igloos and More at The Peninsula Paris
La Réserve Paris to Host Christmas Eve Day Trip to Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte