France’s ‘yellow vest’ protesters hit Paris streets for fifth week

By Lucy Kafanov and Linda Givetash |

PARIS — Protesters wearing their now-famous yellow vests held a minute’s silence on the streets of the French capital Saturday morning for those injured and killed in clashes with police. It was a brief moment of quiet amid weeks of demonstrations that have roiled the country and seized global attention.

In Paris, armed officers patrolled eerily empty streets as authorities braced for the fifth consecutive weekend of nationwide protests against President Emmanuel Macron.

Some storefronts were boarded up, though others remained open to welcome Christmas shoppers.

An estimate 33,000 people took to the streets — less than half the number seen the previous weekend. The demonstrations were largely peaceful and clashes were contained.

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