France: Activists affiliated to the Yellow Vest and other movements to protest in Paris and Alsace, Jan. 7 /update 1

Event

Activists affiliated with the Yellow Vest and other movements plan to protest in Paris, Jan. 7. The Yellow Vest activists will also hold rallies in three cities in the Alsace region. In Paris, there will also be a pro-Kurd march, and a possible far-right demonstration.

Yellow Vest protesters will denounce the cost of living and various government policies, including proposed pension reform. Attendees will gather from 11:00 in Paris' Place de Breteuil. A march to Place du Bataillon du Pacifique is planned at 14:30 via Avenue de Breteuil, Boulevard Pasteur, Place Denfert-Rochereau, and Place d'Italie. The number of attendees is unknown: the Yellow Vest movement lost much of its support in 2022 and has divided into internal factions. Other Yellow Vest protests are planned in the following towns:

• Colmar: Place Rapp, 14:00

• Mulhouse: Square de la Bourse, 15:00

• Strasbourg: Place Kleber, 13:30.

In Paris, pro-Kurd groups will gather at Gare du Nord at 18:00 for a march. The event will mark the 10th anniversary of the death of three PKK activists in Paris, as well as the murders of three Kurds in December. Attendance is likely to be in the thousands.

The Interior Ministry has banned a further planned rally by the far-right group "Paris-Fierte." The group typically marks Saint Genevieve's day with a torchlit procession; however, the event in 2022 was marked by violence. It is possible that activists will still gather, potentially at the statue of Sainte Genevieve, on the Pont de la Tournelle in central Paris.

Police will deploy to monitor and facilitate the protests. Security precautions and associated road closures will likely cause localized traffic disruptions. Scuffles between protesters and police cannot be ruled out. Other protests are likely across France, typically with small groups of demonstrators gathering at traffic junctions or in central squares.

Advice

Avoid all protests as a routine security precaution. Follow local travel and security advice. Allow extra time for traveling in the impacted areas. In the event of violence, leave the area immediately.