Page 8 - aruba-today-20190112

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 12 January 2019

Dug in at roundabouts, yellow vest protesters keep up fight

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN for 41 years. I’m not robbing
Associated Press anyone. I’m demanding
SENLIS, France (AP) — The my due.” Nicole says her
roundabout outside Sen- income is about 800 euros
lis in the northern Oise re- a month. It’s a frosty morn-
gion close to the busiest of ing across much of France
France’s highways is more but the vibes are warm on
than just asphalt with cars the roundabout. Nicole
and trucks circling around and her companions have
it. set up a fire pit where they
With its makeshift grocery, can stand around and
camp beds and commu- enjoy the warmth of the
nity spirit, the large central flames. After hanging on
island about 60 kilometers through the festive season,
(35 miles) north of Paris has they say they won’t leave
been transformed over the the roundabout unless
past two months into an President Emmanuel Ma-
encampment where doz- cron’s government gives
ens of yellow vest protesters in to their demands. “Have
gather day in, day out to a look, we’ve got a pet-
organize their long-stand- anque court,” said Michel,
ing fight against the French a 69-year-old retiree, re-
government. Protestors wearing yellow vests stand next to a fire in a makeshift camp on a roundabout near ferring to the boules sports
Like the reflective fluores- Senlis, north of Paris, Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019. very popular in the coun-
cent safety vests, occupied Associated Press try. “It feels good here. We
roundabouts have be- a ninth straight weekend identified by police. At least makes coffee for all and call this place the yellow
come a trademark of the of planned protests in Paris two of them have been ar- ensures that the pasta and vest camping. Come back
protest movement shak- and across France, dem- rested and detained dur- rice are properly stored in in July, we’ll have a swim-
ing up France that was ini- onstrators in Senlis are ada- ing previous demonstra- the wooden shelves in the ming pool!” On a more
tially triggered by the rising mant they are digging in tions in Paris that have of- makeshift building. serious note, 29-year-old
cost of fuel but has since for the long haul. ten turned violent. For her and many protest- Tristan says he would be
morphed into a broader “We’ve got all we need to Fearing more incidents, ers, money is the biggest more than happy to re-
anti-government revolt. hold a siege,” said Nicole, France authorities are pre- problem. “They (the gov- turn home. He has been
Despite a call last month a 64-year-old retiree in paring to deploy around ernment) took 30 euros involved in protests since
from French authorities to charge of running the gro- 80,000 officers across the from my pension, this is not Nov. 17 and has been
free the traffic circles, and cery. country on Saturday. normal,” she said, her voice banned from traveling to
the 10 killed in road ac- Most of the people inter- Nicknamed “Mini Little drowned out by the noise Paris during weekends to
cidents since the protests viewed by The Associated Mouse” by other protest- of the truck drivers driving attend demonstrations in
started, yellow vest activ- Press this week in Senlis ers, Nicole cooks the fresh around the roundabout the French capital after he
ists have continued to oc- declined to give their full vegetables donated by and honking in support of was arrested in possession
cupy roundabouts. Before names for fear of being yellow vest supporters, the protest. “I’ve worked of a gas mask.q

Corruption trial urged for former French PM Fillon and wife

By ELAINE GANLEY liminary charges in March corruption protesters shout-
Associated Press 2017, including for misuse ing “Fillon in prison!”
PARIS (AP) — France’s fi- of public funds, receiv- The 2017 election was won
nancial prosecutor’s of- ing money from misuse of by Emmanuel Macron, a
fice has asked that former public funds and company young upstart centrist.
Prime Minister Francois Fil- assets and improper dec- Fillon served as prime minis-
lon and his wife be sent to laration of assets. His wife ter under President Nicolas
trial on corruption charges. was also charged that year Sarkozy from 2007 to 2012.
Fillon, who at one point with misuse of public funds, He had served five times
was the front-runner in receiving money from a as a government official
France’s 2017 presidential misuse of company assets under two previous presi-
race, saw his bid unravel and receiving money from dents, Francois Mitterrand
over allegations he paid a fraud. and Jacques Chirac.
his wife Penelope and two Fillon kept on running for In 1981, Fillon was elected
of their children more than In this Sunday, April 23, 2017 file photo, French conservative president despite the cor- to parliament for the first
1 million euros ($1.1 million) presidential candidate Francois Fillon addresses his supporters ruption investigation, which time, representing Sable-
over many years for jobs as in Paris. he denounced as a “politi- sur-Sarthe, a small town in
parliamentary aides that in- Associated Press cal assassination.” rural western France where
volved no sustained work. An official in the financial speak publicly. The investi- From the start of 2017, when the family lives in a turreted
Fillon, 64, has denied prosecutor’s office con- gating judge handling the the investigation began, home surrounded by a vast
wrongdoing. He contends firmed press reports Friday case can accept or reject Fillon had to limit his cam- garden. At 27, he was the
the allegations were a that a demand to send the the prosecutors’ request to paign events to political youngest lawmaker in the
smear campaign to undo pair to trial was made. The put the couple on trial. rallies and a few visits under lower house of parliament,
his presidential bid. official wasn’t authorized to Fillon was handed pre- high security to avoid anti- the National Assembly.q