8,400 Yellow Vests Arrested Since Launch as Parliament Condemns Police Violence
Yellow Vest protestS reach their 14th week this weekend
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There have been 8,400 Yellow Vests protesters arrested under Emanuel Maron's government since the movement began, according to The French Interior Ministry.
As the Yellow Vest protest reach their 14th week this weekend, the European Parliament condemned police violence against the demonstrators.
French authorities have arrested around 8,400 Gilets Jaunes activists over three months, and 7,500 were placed into police custody, according to the latest figures, Le Figaro reports.
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[RELATED] Yellow Vest Fireman Protester Shot in the Back of Head By Police
The news come after Castaner revealed that there had been 1,800 convictions of Yellow Vest activist so far.
Yellow Vest boxer Christophe Dettinger, who fought police with his bare hands, was given a 30-month prison sentence with 18 months suspended earlier this week.
Castaner rejected any calls for amnesty for the Yellow Vest protesters saying “My message is clear: any degradation, any aggression will be… punished,” and added, “We can understand social malaise but never accept violence and degradation.”
According to Breitbart: The minister also declared a 1.5 million euro fund aimed at assisting law enforcement personnel who have been injured during the Yellow Vest protests, saying that at least 1,300 riot police, gendarmes, and firefighters had been injured since November.
Yellow Vest ‘Disabled for Life’ After Being Shot in the Head by Policehttps://t.co/TRIKrnH9FZ
— Neon Nettle (@NeonNettle) January 28, 2019
French Police Blow Yellow Vest’s Hand off as Protests Enter 13th Week | Neon Nettle https://t.co/zXDJ0yJy8X
— JP (@JLP131) February 9, 2019
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The number of injured emergency services men and women has been dwarfed by the number of wounded Yellow Vests, mostly due to the use of “flash-ball” ammunition and explosive stun grenades by riot police, which has caused severe injuries including losses of eyes and hands.
The heavy-handed police tactics have been criticized by many groups including emergency room doctors in France, and are now being slammed by members of the European Parliament.
438 MEPs voted to condemn police violence and support a statement that called on all European Union member-states to, “ensure that the use of force by law enforcement agencies is always legal, proportionate and necessary” — but did not identify France by name.
Earlier this month, French Police in Toulouse who were caught on tape saying they wanted to “shoot” Yellow Vest protesters are now under official investigation.
The footage surfaced as protesters clashed with police for nearly 16 hours.
The recording was made in the police command room where officers monitored the protests, according to broadcaster France 3.
In the recording, several officers where heard making remarks with one male officer saying, “The f**kers! There’s one on the ground there,” and another commenting, “What a bunch of bastards!”
