French Government Fears Coup Attempt During Upcoming Protests This Weekend

Elysee fears ‘putschists’, coup attempt during Yellow Vests protests this weekend

With more Yellow Vests protests approaching this weekend Elysee Palace is worried about a possible coup attempt. Calls have been made to attack parliamentarians and police forces, French media report.

Even though the French government abandoned the fuel tax hike after sweeping protests, the movement still calls upon its followers to gather on December 8. “The Act IV” will be held under the motto “we stay on our course.” The Facebook event has already counted 6,000 people who wish to participate and 22,000 others who are “interested.”

On Thursday Eric Drouet one of the movement's most famous leaders announced the Yellow Vests plans to approach the residence of Emmanuel Macron. “Saturday will be the final outcome, Saturday is the Elysee, we all would like to go to the Elysee,” he said.

The intelligence services have reported to the Elysee Palace, the official residence of the president, that there have been “calls to kill” and “carry arms to attack” parliamentarians, government officials and police officers, Le Figaro newspaper said on Thursday.

“They are putschists. [There is] a coup attempt,” a source claimed. The ministry has even been reportedly instructed to forbid its staff and ministers from working this weekend.

Security forces were also tipped that Saturday’s demonstrations may be hit by unprecedented violence caused by both “radicalized…extreme right and extreme left,” Le Figaro added.

Yellow Vest protests, named after high-visibility jackets all drivers in France must carry in their vehicles, are entering their third week. Started as unprompted rallies called on social media against fuel price hikes and Macron’s unpopular reforms, they have evolved into one of the most dangerous challenges for the nation in recent decades.

December 1 protests turned violent across the whole country and saw over 130 people injured and more than 400 arrested. Four people, including an elderly woman, died amid the fierce clashes between rioters and officers.

The French government had to concede to the protesters’ demands and abandoned the fuel tax hike plan – at least for the 2019 budget. However, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe who broke the news, did not clarify whether Paris might reintroduce the hike in a budget update later in 2019.

The real problem lies in the government that has lost touch with its people, Yellow Vest protesters recently told RT. The government has to “put humane attitude first, and not the money,” one more demonstrator said. Another added that they “would prefer to be at work, than to find [themselves] on the streets shouting, hoping for nothing.”

According to Jean Bricmont, a French writer and political commentator, the fiery protests have more to do with the “incompetent,” EU-dependent government policy than the rising gas prices. “The revolt is not just about the gas prices, it’s a general revolt against the policy of the government,” he told RT.





France Deploys 89,000 Cops Amid Fears Of Yellow Vest Rebellion On Saturday


French authorities will deploy at least 8,000 riot police and gendarmes in Paris on Saturday, and 89,000 forces across the country according to the Prime Minister, as the Elysee prepares for "act four" of the Yellow Vest movement's violent protests against the Macron government.

In addition to the closure of the Eiffel Tower on Saturday, several Paris museums have announced that they won't be open this weekend. 

"The demonstrations announced Saturday, December 8 in Paris cannot guarantee the safety of visitors, the Sete has made the decision to close the Eiffel Tower," announced the Societe de la Tour Eiffel which operates the monument. 

Despite Macron's government delaying a planned fuel hike by six months, the Yellow Vest movement has called on its followers to "stay on our course," over Facebook and gather for "The Act IV"  on Saturday the 8th, in what will be the fourth week of protests. 

Coup attempt?

French intelligence services have reported to the Elysee Palace - the official residence of President Macron, in light of "calls to kill" and "carry arms to attack" government officials, parliamentarians and police, according to Le Figaro. "They are putschists. We are in a coup attempt," said Le Figaro's sources. 

On Thursday, Yellow Vest leader Eric Drouet said "Saturday will be the final outcome.Saturday is the Elysee," adding "we all would like to go to the Elysee." 

Le Figaro also reports that Saturday's demonstrations may involve unprecedented violence, as it may include "a hard core radicalized" element,  from "both the extreme right and extreme left." 

BREAKING: France protests turn violent, as yellow-jacket protesters begin clashing with police.

One thing is becoming abundantly clear, these protests are not about a "gas tax increase."

They want corrupt globalist Macron to step down. pic.twitter.com/Rf8zrJzI2s

— Mike Tokes (@MikeTokes) December 6, 2018

Four people have died over the last several weeks of protests across France - including an 80-year-old woman who died of shock after a police tear-gas canister was launched into her apartment window as she was trying to close it. Over 400 people were arrested in last weekend's violent protests, while more than 130 were injured. 

Macron's administration has struggled to calm the protesters - initially delaying a planned fuel tax hike by six months, and then floating a tax increase for the wealthy. Thus far, none of it has worked. 

Yellow Vest protesters recently told Russian state-owned RT that the government has lost touch with its people, and that they have to "put humane attitude first, and not the money." Another protester said that they "would prefer to be at work, than to find [themselves] on the streets shouting, hoping for nothing."