What has been described as the “demons of political violence” seem to be gripping the world, from France to America. We all needs to pay attention to the smoke signals of the time:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/french-protests-we-are-seeing-the-first-signs-of-civil-war-1.4106259
“Slowly but surely, they’re taking away all our acquis, the acquired rights that our elders fought for,” says Didier. “In 1936 we got paid holidays; later, unemployment benefits. Now they’re trying to take away our pension rights. Macron, stop taking away our acquis!” Macron wants to shift all France from a defined benefits scheme to a defined contribution scheme, called a points system. “I don’t know what a points pension means,” says Jean-Pierre. “I don’t think Macron knows either. . . I hope we paralyse the country. I don’t give a damn about Christmas, because if Macron keeps at it there’ll be no turkey, nothing to eat. I call him the vulture.” Four police officers stand nearby, shuffling their feet and rubbing gloved hands against the cold. They wear RoboCop vests and shoulder and arm protectors and speak through woollen mufflers. If they can just prevent rioting today, they hope the movement will fizzle. “Is it true that [interior minister Christophe] Castaner says we can keep our early retirement?” the officers ask. Two leading police unions called on members to strike. Castaner appealed to them to remain on duty, and promised their right to early retirement will not change. Hubert Labrousse (75), a retired researcher for the Institut Pasteur, joined Attac 15 years ago “because the Communist Party sank and the Socialist Party was no longer socialist”. Labrousse chomps a cigar and wears a top hat, three-piece suit and white scarf, a mockery of a rich man. He sees this protest as the continuation of the gilets jaunes movement that started in November 2018. “I don’t want a civil war,” he says, “But we’re seeing the first signs: the rise of the far-right, the gap between rich and poor . . .”
