Paris march calls for dialogue and respect for law

Supported by the anti-gilets jaunes movement the foulards rouges, La Marche Républicaine des Libertés is calling for “and end to violence and hatred, respect for freedom of the press and a return to the rule of law”.

So as to boost numbers at the main Paris march, which is heading from Place de la République at 14.00, plans for parallel ones in the regions have been shelved. On writing the event has only 9,300 ‘going’ and 26,000 ‘interested’ on its Facebook page.

The organisers, a collective called STOP Ça suffit (stop, that’s enough), say they recognise that the gilets jaunes have raised genuine issues about declining purchasing power but say that they have the “wrong solutions”.

“Demanding more state aid but less tax isn’t coherent, it is relaunching the economy that will allow better standards of living for the least privileged,” they say.

One supporter quoted by Le Monde said: “I am for freedom of expression, but it’s going too far – by demanding that Emmanuel Macron resign they are undermining a democratic vote.”

Another, Laurent, said: “In Toulouse on Saturday they broke shop windows with hammers, they sprayed the Capitole [town hall] with paint….

“Dialogue is open now and they have the chance to debate, so their protest is becoming illegitimate. It’s not 80,000 people who are going to decide for all of the French.”

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Anti gilets jaunes call march in Paris