A leader within the Yellow Vests movement criticised the donations by billionaires to restore Notre Dame as they marched once again in Paris on Saturday.
Jerome Rodrigues accused the French President Emmanuel Macron of using the fire for political advantage.
“We had a little fire recently, crowdfunded a billion euro, everybody is pleased and switched to some other topic,” Rodrigues said.
“[Macron] doesn’t hear us, doesn’t listen us from his ivory tower, drunk from power,” he continued.
The fire also delayed a televised address from the president detailing a series of policy reforms in response to the Yellow Vest protesters and their grievances. The speech was cancelled at the last minute and rescheduled for next Thursday.
Rodrigues strongly criticised the delay, believing it was a calculated decision.
“His strategy is to postpone his official statements to gain some time in order to enhance, to work on his speech. He seeks to make us swallow this bitter pill of his election program,” he explained.
This weekend was the 23rd demonstration by the Yellow Vest movement, which stands in opposition to economic inequality in France.