French President Emmanuel Macron and Interior Minister Christophe Castaner arrived on Sunday to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to inspect damage inflicted during recent clashes in the French capital, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene.
READ MORE: France to Consider State of Emergency Amid 'Yellow Vests' Protests — Spokesman
One of Paris' most recognizable landmarks, the Arc de Triomphe, was sprayed with paint by protesters who demanded Macron's resignation. TV images reveal that the monument was defaced with anti-capitalist slogans; another symbol of the French republic, a statue of Marianne, was smashed by vandals.
The monument is closed to the visitors.
#GiletsJaunes #paris #Macron #MacronDemission Pour pas faire voir la vérité au président, ont efface et communication 🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/BnazCbFQ7K
— Fabien D72 🤡🎈 (@FabienD72) 2 декабря 2018 г.
#GiletsJaunes #1erDécembre
— France Bédos (@FranceBedos) 2 декабря 2018 г.
The day after: de retour du #G20, #Macron… à l'Arc de triomphe. A #Paris. pic.twitter.com/4FEsBzIPFj
Le président de la République constate en ce moment les dégâts à l'intérieur de l'Arc de Triomphe pic.twitter.com/VVLsmiIDn5
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) 2 декабря 2018 г.
Speaking at a press conference in Argentina on Saturday, the French president harshly condemned violence and pledged to bring perpetrators to justice. Macron earlier stressed, commenting on the protests, that the country's authorities would not revise their decision on fuel prices hike.
In late 2017, the French government approved the decision to raise direct tax on diesel fuel, which is the most popular type of fuel in the country. The diesel prices in France have risen by around 23 percent since the beginning of the year, while the gasoline prices have gone up by 15 percent. Prices are set to increase further in January.
