Do we need a British yellow jackets?

Sorry that should be "continue to demonstrate about FOOD prices"

The French protests although primarily about fuel taxes, are also a protest about a lofty elite that are dismissive of the ordinary people, who they feel have no conception of the problems faced by poorer communities. The French have always taken to the streets, really the republic was borne out of violence. As far as disillusionment with politicians per se is concerned, it could be happening anywhere. I read in the Times earlier this week, one of the reasons that Brussels is disinterested in pursuing further options with Britain is because there are bigger problems in Europe, France and Italy in particular.
In an article in The Sunday Times magazine last week with Bruce Springsteen, a lifelong democrat, he said that he felt that Trump would serve a second term because there wasn't anyone from his party who could reach out to the poor and disenfranchised. I think politics is shifting and politicians who don't engage with sectors of society, such as the "baskets of deplorables" Hillary Clinton and the "bigoted woman" referred to by Gordon Brown, will do so at their peril. Not wishing to be partisan, it's across all parties, they are all too transparent and the electorate are aware of that.

No we do not.
Civil disobedience is not the answer.

Riots and civil disobedience puts extra work and shift patterns on the Police and other services who are already under considerable pressures.

Not sure it would have any effect in the UK.

Police in Paris have fired tear gas on protesters as a fourth weekend of anti-government protests turned violent.
The clashes came after up to 8,000 demonstrators gathered in the city centre. More than 500 people have been taken into custody.
Police have told the BBC that 30 people have been injured in the capital, including three police officers.
The "yellow vest" movement opposed fuel tax rises but ministers say it has been hijacked by "ultra-violent" protesters.
Some 8,000 police and 12 armoured vehicles have been deployed in Paris, and nearly 90,000 countrywide.

Do we need or want this civil unrest in Britain? I don't.

Committing violence until you get what you want is not the way to go.

I think it's all being stoked up by agent provocateurs from the far right and the far left, as is often the case. We've seen it with demos over here before. It seems the perception in France is that Macron having capitulated over diesel could well be forced to give way on further demands. I think some of the feelings expressed by the genuine protesters are also about a disenchantment and the malaise that surrounds the political class.

The far right have been hijacking the French protests I'm reliably informed by my French friends.
In answer to your post, please let's not take to the streets in a violent protest. A civil war would be catastrophic.

Police always claim that protestors are 'violent'
A lot of condemnation for these methods but how should the dreadful discrepancies in our society be tackled. At least the French are doing something.

No to both.

I like our method of protesting. 700,000 on the anti-Brexit March and very little trouble. 31,000 today in France and look at the violence and damage.

Definitely not. My police officer son was seriously injured when hit by a brick during a riot

No we don’t !
Puts pressure in already stretched resources and encourages violent ‘professional ‘ protesters and rioters.

Good question trisher, I think nothing would get the British off their bums. They are in the majority far too complacent and comfortable. They have stood by and watched the erosion of all our social services, privatisation of nhs by stealth, increasing pension age, zero hour “contracts “ homelessness, food banks. Do we care, not a jot! God forbid civil unrest!

The French do things differently in so many ways.

Some years ago, farmers in Britain had to submit maps of their farms to the department of agriculture in order to "comply with an EU directive". The farmers were told if their measurements were even a foot out, their applications would be rejected and they would risk a fine.

It turned out that this was the UK government's interpretation of the rules and no other EU country's farmers had to follow such strict guidelines.... with the French at the other end of the compliance scale.

While Brit farmers spent a fortune on experts who drew up inch-perfect maps to be delivered on tight deadlines to government departments many miles away, the French farmers were allowed to hand in a very rough sketch of their farms to the local town hall whenever they felt like it.

trisher they were showing some of the weapons collected from protesters in Paris today on the TV this morning. They included baseball bats, hammers and pétanque boules. Pretty unpleasant I would say.
As I said on the other thread, we have avoided the blockages, but I know some people have felt threatened especially if they are not displaying their gilet jaune on the dashboard.
I have no doubt that a lot of Front National voters are amongst the protesters.

I’d just like to point out that women demonstrated and were involved in civil disobedience to try to make the government give them the vote. Trade unions fought for better working conditions on behalf of their member and equal pay.....the working women at Dagenham, the match makers. Many of the middle and working classes battled against slavery, the Peterloo massacre, the battle of Cable Street to prevent the Black shirts from marching through the Jewish part of the East End.
Many people these days seem to forget Mrs Thatcher and the Pole Tax, where many ordinary people demonstrated and refused to pay!
Sometimes I believe that demonstrating and sometimes civil disobedience is the only way to get the elite to listen.
We need protest and yes I will, if necessary.

Yes, we can riot with the best of ‘em when needed.The Poll Tax ones, and Notting Hill riots, for a start.
We don’t man the barricades like the French though, who go off on one for the slightest of reasons.The French government always caves in ( which is why the French continue to do this.)
Of course the far right and the far left come to that, all join in the free for all.Anarchists love a good old street fight and the chance to smash windows and indulge in a little light looting.

The main issue though, has been about a rise in the price of diesel to try to stop pollution. It is hard for the rural poor, because we have no public transport and people depend on their ancient diesel vehicles. It is hardly in the same category as votes for women or Peterloo. Apart from that there are a range of complaints about taxes, but frankly we have wonderful services here and they have to be paid for. The government has also stopped one of the council taxes for the lower income groups which will save households several hundred euros a year. That never seems to get mentioned.

MacCavity2
nothing will get the British off their bums
The Poll Tax certainly did. I went to many protests with my placards

Caledonail4
Absolutely!! We were spending a lot of time in Rhodes prior to Greece going into the eu and the same herd of sheep were counted dozens of times. They just kept moving them around to 'farmers' that didn't have any sheep.
Hilariously funny if it wasn't for the fact that it was my money that was being given away.
I had been living in Bulgaria for 4 years before they went into the eu. The tales I could tell you with reference corruption with our money would make you weep

It's correct to say that the protest in France has been hijacked by extremists. French people are also protesting about high taxation, pensions and retirement age etc. Macron wanted to make changes. French people want the status quo to remain but its not possible, things do need to change here. There is a perception that the ordinary man in the street or on the farm has been let down in favour of the wealthy.

Do you think taxation is high though sodapop? We actually pay less tax than we would in England. I think most of the poorest households in our village would pay no tax at all. I agree that most of the reforms are needed, but I do think he misjudged the speed of the diesel rise. The pollution message could have been better explained too.

No wonder we say “rip off Britain “ because it is and we all sit back and let it happen . Ripped off with taxation both direct and indirect , fuel prices, food prices etc. Not condoning violence but we can’t continue to just sit back and do nothing . The rich will always get richer and the poor will always get poorer . That’s the way of this country .

There is a way of protesting without violence/rioting involved, but-----------it would take every citizen to flatly refuse to pay any more price rises be it fuel, gas/electric companies/ food/taxes/VAT/burials/rents/ too many others to mention.
Nobody is listening to what we the public are saying yet it's us who have put the useless articles where they are in parliament----it doesn't make sense. All politicians suffer from selective memory syndrome on that score.

I don't condone violence either but one of these days something's going to give because folk have had enough and sad to say that if riots are the only way to make the dozy sods in Westminster sit up and take notice then so be it.