For the past two weeks, a massive protest movement known as the “yellow vests” has shaken France. While the movement began as a way for low-income people to voice their anger at the government’s efforts to target car pollution with a heavy carbon tax, it has now spiraled into an ongoing, at-times violent expression of general dissatisfaction with president Emmanuel Macron, as well as France’s political system and labor laws.
This was evident on Tuesday (Nov. 27), when two yellow vest representatives, Eric Drouet and Priscillia Ludosky, met with France’s minister of ecology François de Rugy, and presented him with a list of demands (link in French) that far exceed the movement’s original scope. Amongst other things, they called for the elimination of the French Senate (which some politicians have also called for, saying the upper chamber does not represent the French population), a reduction in the salary of elected representatives, and more frequent public consultations through national and local referendums, as well as a reform of the asylum application process and an end to the government’s fiscal austerity policy.
SITE: https://online.branded-edu.com/eportfolios/8522/Home/StreamingVF_Enrag_2020_Film_Complet_et_VOSTFR
With regard to the attack carried out in the Cathedral of Nice, the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See in the Vatican, Matteo Bruni, stated the following:
"It is a moment of pain, in a time of confusion. Terrorism and violence can never be accepted. Today's attack has sown death in a place of love and consolation, like the house of the Lord. The Pope is informed of the situation and is close to the mourning Catholic community. He prays for the victims and their loved ones, so that the violence may cease, so that we may return to look upon ourselves as brothers and sisters and not as enemies, so that the beloved French people may react united to evil with good".
Elsewhere, a security guard at the French consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was injured on Thursday when he was attacked. One person has been arrested following that attack and the extent of the guard's injuries are currently unknown.
Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to President Emmanuel Macron in which he expressed deep condolences over the tragic consequences of terrorist attacks in France.
"Special indignation is caused by the cynical and cruel crime committed within the walls of a church. Once again, we have seen that terrorists absolutely lack any human morals. It is obvious that fighting international terrorism requires the global community to join forces," the telegram read.
Putin confirmed the readiness of the Russian party to the closest cooperation with French and other international partners in all directions of counter-terrorist activities.
There have been other notable terror attacks in Nice over the past several years.
In 2016, a truck was deliberately driven into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, resulting in the deaths of 86 people and the injury of 458 others. The driver was Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a Tunisian living in France. The attack ended following an exchange of gunfire, during which Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was shot and killed by police.
The Nice church where Thursday’s knife attack occurred is located less than a mile from the site in 2016.
In 2015, there was another stabbing in Nice outside a Jewish Center when three soldiers patrolling were attacked.
