The protests began around November 17, when French drivers sporting yellow vests led a demonstration of 280,000 people across the country to push back against rising taxes on gas and diesel fuel. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the new gas tax earlier this year, as part of a broader plan to minimize France’s reliance on fossil fuels.
The tax will increase the price of fuel by about 30 cents per gallon and will continue to rise over the next few years, the French government says. Gas already costs about $7.06 per gallon in France.
The protest movement — known as gilets jaunes, French for the “yellow vests” demonstrators wear — has blockaded streets and highways, burned cars, and brawled with police in response to the price hike.