MACRON'S STASSI STRIKE: YELLOW VEST LEADER ARRESTED

Yellow Vest leader Eric Drouet

Eric Drouet, one of the leaders of the "Yellow Vest" protest movement, has been arrested by French police while engaged in completely peaceful activities. 

As reported by FRANCE 24:

Speaking to reporters after his release, Drouet said he had been on his way to a restaurant with four others when he was picked up by dozens of armed riot police and forced into a vehicle.

"I wasn't wearing a yellow vest, just walking on the pavement," he said, calling the arrest "incomprehensible".

"I'm not the Yellow Vests' representative. With or without me, it will continue", he said, speaking of the protests.

It seems that Drouet was arrested on a minor technicality, namely holding a protest on the Champs-Elysées without informing the police of the location 3 days in advance, as required by French law. This regulation has been largely ignored by the Yellow Vest protesters since the demonstrations began several weeks ago. 

The fact that the police are attempting to enforce it now suggests that they may be considering taking a harder line. So far the police strategy has been to stand back and avoid confrontation with the demonstrators as much as possible so as not to inflame them. 

Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire defended the arrest, saying: 

"It's called respecting the rule of law. It's normal that when you break the laws of the republic, you face the consequences." 

But other political leaders have condemned the move, including Marine Le Pen of the National Rally Party (formerly the Front National). She accused the government of "systematic violation of the political rights of opponents", while Wallerand de Saint-Just, one of the party's chief officials said Drouet had become a hero and a martyr.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the hard-left France Unbowed Party also criticised Macron's "tough guy" act:

"Again Eric Drouet arrested, why? Abuse of power. A politicised police targeting and harassing the leaders of the Yellow Vest movement."

Drouet's former arrest was for carrying a wooden stick at a demonstration. For this "offence" the 33-year-old truck driver faces a trial on June 5 on the charge of "carrying a prohibited category D weapon."

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