Yellow Vests ruin most of France’s speed cameras

By Yusuf Ozcan</p> <p>PARIS (AA) – Yellow Vest protesters have destroyed or vandalized nearly two thirds of France’s fixed speed cameras since demonstrations began in November, the country’s interior minister said Thursday.</p> <p>Christophe Castaner told reporters that 1,920 of the country’s 3,200 cameras had been degraded.</p> <p>He also criticized those supporting Christophe Dettinger, a former French boxing champion filmed punching two police officers during Yellow Vest protests in Paris last weekend.</p> <p>A campaign set up to help the boxer reportedly raised around €117,000 (around $135,000).</p> <p>Castaner noted that he is in solidarity with the two policemen attacked by Dettinger while denying there was any violence by police against the protestors.</p> <p>Meanwhile, 60 investigations were opened Tuesday into the alleged police violence.</p> <p>Images of a police officer beating several protesters Saturday in the city of Toulon also made a strong impact on social media.</p> <p>The tear gas that security forces used during the demonstrations injured many protestors.</p> <p>On Dec. 23, the Interior Ministry reportedly ordered 1,730 tear gas weapons to be used by security forces against the demonstrators.</p> <p>- Yellow Vest protests</p> <p>The Yellow Vest protests, which started as a reaction to fuel tax hikes and evolved into a protest against French President Emmanuel Macron, have continued despite the government’s call for them to halt.</p> <p>Since Nov. 17, thousands of protesters wearing bright yellow vests — dubbed the Yellow Vests — have gathered in major French cities, including the capital Paris, to protest Macron's controversial fuel tax hikes and the deteriorating economic situation.</p> <p>Demonstrators held protests blocking roads and traffic and also blocked the entrances and exits to many gas stations and factories across the country.</p> <p>The protesters, who generally live in rural areas due to high rents in the cities, called on Macron to cut fuel taxes and ease their economic difficulties.</p> <p>Under pressure from the protests, Macron announced a rise in the minimum wage and scuttled the fuel tax hikes.</p> <p>At least 10 people have died and more than a thousand others have been injured in the protests.