Gilets Jaunes – A silenced and ridiculed movement

In two months, the movement regretted hundreds of injured (including superiors), more than 6,000 arrests and hundreds of convictions. And yet many cities have known a record of mobilization for this week 9 on Saturday 12/1. Despite the fear of police brutality and unfair arrests. Despite the scarecrows sent by the government.Only for the protest of week 9 is a great victory. A victory with a bitter taste, it is completely denied and despised by te powers that should not be. His disdain for the movement is not even hiding. And his silence against abuses can no longer be called a malfunction in communication. It is a strategy. It is no longer the maintenance of order, but the maintenance of power.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been protesting for two months on the roads and roundabouts, this is a signal we can not ignore. The power tells us to “shout as much as you like, but do it in accordance with the rules”. The police do not respect the rights of every citizen at the same time. For power it is important that the people remain in their place: at home, at work or in shops.

We must take note of this and draw conclusions: When was a social movement ever so heavily oppressed?

But the wind will turn. We will ask for justice. The guilty will be tried.

But we will also remember the accomplices of this drama, those who, through their social position, their public status or their political influence, could have expressed their indignation and opposed the abuse of power that is going against the protesters. Not taking a stand is now a support for authoritarian abuses. Few associations, trade unions, NGOs, collectives, artists, journalists, philosophers, teachers, lawyers and other citizens have had the courage to take a stand against arbitrary arrests and address arrests.