Violence in Paris over Freedom Convoy: How Canada truckers’ protests travelled to France

French police fired tear gas shells at Freedom Convoy protesters in central Paris on Saturday. AP

Last week hundreds of motorists from all over France started off a version of Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoys’ to protest against the country’s COVID-19 mandates. The aim was to reach Paris and call for removal of COVID vaccine pass mandate to travel.

The French capital city on Saturday erupted in violent protests leading the police to fire tear gas shells at demonstrators on the Champs-Élysées avenue shortly after a ‘Freedom Convoy’ made it into the city.

What are freedom convoy protests, how they have concerned the French government and its counterparts world over, let’s take a look

What is Freedom Convoy protest

For almost a fortnight, hundreds of motorists, including pickups, cars and commercial trucks have choked the streets of the Canadian capital of Ottawa and at least three border crossings between Canada and the United States.

The protests started after the Justin Trudeau-government made COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for cross-border truckers who wanted to enter or leave the Canadian borders. Starting from several points across Canada, convoys converged in Ottawa on 29 January with a rally at Parliament Hill.

According to Associated Press, convoy organisers said they were moved to protest by a federal government requirement that truck drivers be fully vaccinated if they want to avoid a 14-day quarantine upon re-entry from the United States.

However, it’s a bilateral measure with the US imposing the same rule on 22 January, 2022 — meaning that even if Canada ended the restriction, it would make no practical difference.

Even though the number of truckers have declined, more than 400 trucks remain parked in front of the Parliament Buildings along with a makeshift kitchen.

Meanwhile, similar protests spread across the world in Argentina, New Zealand, Austria, Australia, the US, and France.

Also read: EXPLAINER: A look at what’s behind the protests in Canada

What is happening in Paris

On 10 February, French police warned that they would prevent so-called ‘Freedom Convoys’ from blockading Paris, as protesters against COVID-19 rules began to drive towards the capital.

The movement raised fears of a repeat of the 2018 “yellow vest” anti-government protests that rocked France, only two months before President Emmanuel Macron is expected to seek re-election.

Police said that anyone blocking roads faced up to two years in prison, a fine of 4,500 euros ($5,140) and a three-year driving ban.

The authorities in neighbouring Belgium also issued warnings as participants appeared to want to continue on to Brussels, the Belgian and European Union capital, on 14 February, 2022, for what they called “a European convergence”.

According to France 24, motorists from numerous cities across France camped on the city outskirts on 11 February determined to defy the police ban.

Despite the strict ban and with at least 7,200 police personnel blockading entry points into the city, several convoys breached the defences and drove into central Paris on 12 February, snarling traffic around the Arc de Triomphe and on the Champs Elysees, as per a Reuters report.

Protesters in cars, camper vans, tractors and other vehicles had converged on Paris from Lille, Perpignan, Nice and other cities late on Friday, despite warnings from Paris authorities that they would be barred from entering the capital.

Some protesters were dispersed with tear gas, according to CNN affiliates BFMTV and M6. Footage from BMFTV shows police throwing tear gas canisters on the Champs-Élysées.

At least 14 people were arrested in connection with the protest, the report said.

In light of the violence and the protests, President Emmanuel Macron told newspaper Ouest France, while urging calm, “We have always safeguarded the right to protest… but we need harmony and we need a lot of collective goodwill.”

His Prime Minister, Jean Castex, was more blunt. Citizens had the right to protest but not gridlock the capital, he said.

With inputs from agencies

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