four years later, southeast of Toulouse, they still hold a roundabout
By SudOuest.fr
On November 17, 2018, thousands of people, dressed in yellow vests, took possession of roundabouts in France, in a social protest movement. Four years later, as prices soar and the inflation crisis hits households, roundabouts will continue to be occupied
Four years later, they are still there, near a roundabout, remaking the world and for them, the embers of revolt are still smoldering. South-east of Toulouse, in Villefranche-de-Lauragais, a few yellow vests are still mobilized, as presented by our colleagues from 20 minutes. In 2018, they built a makeshift chalet, on the edge of the roundabout, which they managed to keep thanks to the indulgence of the owner of the plot. In front of them, the departmental road and the parking lot of a disused supermarket. The service station is still operating and displays diesel at 1,785 euros and unleaded 98 at 1,859 euros this Friday, November 18. “When it all started, on November 17, 2018, it was 1.50 euros. Blazing prices. And, who knows why, no one moves, ”says one of the irreducible.
Debates, GA, actions
There “to maintain the embers” and “in resistance to a system that mistreats the poor”, these few yellow vests await the next revolt. “We don’t know when but it will come, ask,” says one of them. Our colleagues from 20 minutes met Antonio (whose name has been changed), Christine and Thierry, who don’t have much in common but dozens of Toulouse demonstrations, spent at the forefront, “taking tear gas and the de-encirclement grenades” also tightened the ties. This complicity has been built up over four years of debates, general meetings or through “visibility actions” but also during Tuesday evening hotlines, around a pack of beer and a thermos of coffee. “We don’t agree on everything, but we agree on the essentials,” assures Antonio.
A dozen people
The hard core of this group of yellow vests, “Angry Lauragais”, is made up of a dozen people, aged 40 to 60 and more than half of them. In Villefranche-de-Lauragais, they are part of the decor and should take part in the demonstration to celebrate the four years of the movement, Saturday November 19 in Toulouse and throughout France.