Yellow Vests and Students Plan Massive Joint Protests Across France This Weekend

The Yellow Vests, the broad social movement that first erupted in 2018, have scheduled hundreds of protests for Saturday, targeting the rising cost of living and seeking solidarity with high-school and university students. The movement, which originated in the Paris region, has expanded across France and now sees participation from student organisations and several trade unions. An online appeal urges a wide coalition—including farmers, firefighters, health workers and climate activists—to unite behind demands such as lower fuel prices, restored public-sector wages and opposition to the university admissions platform Parcoursup.

Prominent Yellow Vest figures such as François Boulo and others have confirmed their involvement in the Saturday actions. Police anticipate more than 1,000 planned blockades and roadblocks in cities, bridges, fuel stations and railway stations, while also preparing to restrict demonstrations near key government sites. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has warned that the student protests are turning into "urban violence" and condemned incidents of fire-crackers and invasions at schools.