https://sputnikglobe.com/20230428/three-french-protesters-facing-prison-for-flipping-macron-the-finger-1109906439.html
Three French Protesters Facing Prison for Flipping Macron the Finger
Three French Protesters Facing Prison for Flipping Macron the Finger
Sputnik International
Three protesters are facing prison time after giving the increasingly unpopular French President the finger during protests against pension reform.
2023-04-28T03:31+0000
2023-04-28T03:31+0000
2023-04-28T03:28+0000
world
emmanuel macron
france
marine le pen
freedom of speech
free speech
protest
pension reform
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Three protesters from the French commune of Selestat, which sits near the border of Germany, are facing prison time for giving the middle finger to French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to the town on April 19.The three protesters have pleaded guilty to contempt of a person holding public authority, according to a statement issued by prosecutor Catherine Sorita-Minard.Due to their gesture to the French president, the three protesters are facing up to a year in prison and a €15,000 fine. None of the protesters have a criminal history. A fourth person was also arrested but the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.When Macron arrived in Selestat he was met with a crowd demanding his resignation and a chorus of boos. Macron’s approval rating in the country has been plummeting since he decided to move forward with pension reforms despite massive monthslong protests around the country against the reforms.Protesters have followed Macron around the Alsace region, banging on pots and pans to interrupt his speeches. That resulted in the government hastily passing a ban on “portable sound devices” hours before Macron arrived in the village of Ganges. Police there confiscated pans from protesters, classifying them as falling under that law.French trade unions have so far refused further dialog with Macron, and the French president has reportedly resorted to carrying generators everywhere he goes because unions have been shutting off power in areas he is visiting.Protesters have also promised to shut down and cut power to popular events, including the Cannes film festival and the Monaco Grand Prix.Macron’s approval rating sits at just 26%, according to a BVA poll. Despite the slump, he has pledged not to back down on his pension reforms and has ordered his government to “restore peace” over the next 100 days. Another poll, conducted by L’Opinion en direct, said the 2022 candidate for the right-wing National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, would easily beat Macron if the election were held today, with 55% of the hypothetical vote.
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french protest, pension reform protests, freedom of speech in france, selestat
french protest, pension reform protests, freedom of speech in france, selestat
Three French Protesters Facing Prison for Flipping Macron the Finger
France has been immersed in protests for months but saw tensions kicked up in January when the government proposed a bill to reform the country’s pension plan. The bill, which was signed into law on April 14, raises the retirement age in France from 62 to 64 years old.
Three protesters from the French commune of Selestat, which sits near the border of Germany, are facing prison time for giving the middle finger to French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to the town on April 19.
The three protesters have pleaded guilty to contempt of a person holding public authority, according to a statement issued by prosecutor Catherine Sorita-Minard.
Due to their gesture to the French president, the three protesters are facing up to a year in prison and a €15,000 fine. None of the protesters have a criminal history. A fourth person was also arrested but the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.
When Macron arrived in Selestat he was met with a crowd demanding his resignation and a chorus of boos. Macron’s approval rating in the country has been plummeting since he decided to move forward with pension reforms despite massive monthslong protests around the country against the reforms.
At the time, Macron said that he believed in the right to protest. “I am not naive, I have just passed a difficult and unpopular law, but I look forward to keep in touch [with the population]. People should be able to express themselves freely, but the country must move forward,” Macron told reporters after the protests.
Protesters have followed Macron around the Alsace region, banging on pots and pans to interrupt his speeches. That resulted in the government hastily passing a ban on “portable sound devices” hours before Macron arrived in the village of Ganges. Police there confiscated pans from protesters, classifying them as falling under that law.
French trade unions have so far refused further dialog with Macron, and the French president has reportedly resorted to carrying generators everywhere he goes because unions have been shutting off power in areas he is visiting.
“We have a president who has turned a deaf ear to our cries, so we do not want to hear him either. As long as Macron continues to oppose the majority of the population, we will continue to strike,” a trade union representative told French media.
Protesters have also promised to shut down and cut power to popular events, including the Cannes film festival and the Monaco Grand Prix.
Macron’s approval rating sits at just 26%, according to a BVA poll. Despite the slump, he has pledged not to back down on his pension reforms and has ordered his government to “restore peace” over the next 100 days.
Another poll, conducted by L’Opinion en direct, said the 2022 candidate for the right-wing National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, would easily beat Macron if the election were held today, with 55% of the hypothetical vote.
