After the protests on March 16, which resulted in numerous acts of violence on the Champs-Elysées, the 19th day of the movement is being prepared as the government has hardened its stance and bans on protests are being issued in several cities.
In Paris, certain locations such as the Champs-Elysées, Concorde, and Place de l’Étoile will be off-limits to demonstrations. The marches are expected to take place in other neighborhoods.
Besides Paris, some members of the “yellow vests” want to make Nice the epicenter of the 19th day. The meeting point is set for 10 a.m. at Place Garibaldi.
What better choice than Nice where the Chinese President Xi is arriving and President Emmanuel Macron will converge?
Only that a significant security arrangement is in place, and it is certain that this time the violent participants (yellow vests and vandals) will face an appropriate response from law enforcement.
In the azure city, the Yellow Vests have so far shown moderation: processions, public transport service blockages, disruptions to businesses but no violence or damage.
Unlike other regional capitals (Bordeaux, Toulouse), the protesters have never exceeded a few hundred, except on the first day (November 17), when nearly 2,500 were counted, led by an exceptional yellow vest, MP Eric Ciotti (who now calls for a total ban on protests!).
In recent Saturdays, the average number of participants has been around 300 people.
The Prefect’s decision to limit the demonstration outside a fixed perimeter (the city center, the Promenade, and the west of the city will be prohibited) will pose a dilemma for local and national Yellow Vests: should we go or not?
Given the context and past events, it is not the right day to act recklessly.
We could bet that a “welcoming committee” (national and municipal police, military from Operation Sentinel, and other security services) will be waiting for them…
