After the horrific use of tear gas at the Mexican border in the United States, French police have decided to deploy the same tactic on Paris protesters at Champs-Elysées who were rallying against gas tax hikes.
The authorities bombed the famed iconic avenue as the hundreds of the so-called "Yellow Jackets," who were against President Emmanuel Macron's economic reforms, attempted to force their way through official lines. And while there were some peaceful protesters, NBC reports that Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Twitter that "1,500 others outside the perimeter were causing more serious disruptions." The demonstrators "set fires in the soaked streets and formed human barricades against officers."
Paris police has declared that at least 20 people were injured, "including six officers, and more than 120 people were arrested." Still, it seems like there are a lot of people in France who support the Yellow Jackets. According to a poll published by Le Figaro, eight in ten people support the uprising.
The whole violent turn of events, and the fear of more violent protests and dissent, has led to France's government being on the brink of declaring a state of emergency. Still, the question remains as to whether the dangerous use of tear gas was necessary to pacify protesters.
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