“For me, October 17 is a beginning”: the yellow vests want to “go further” and “expand the movement”

Benjamin Ball, member of the yellow vest coordination, called on Thursday to “go further” and “expand the movement” of protest in the country, estimating that “800,000 people in the streets is not enough to make a government give in”.

“For me, October 17 is a beginning. (...) When we only put 800,000 people on the streets, that is not enough to be able to make a government give in.” “We see that there is a need to go further” and “expand the movement,” Benjamin Ball, also editor of the site which maps the actions of the yellow vests, said on RMC.

The mobilization of October 24 brought together between 410,000 (according to the police) and 800,000 people (according to the CGT), a figure down slightly compared to the first mobilization of October 17 which brought together 550,000 (police) to 800,000 people (CGT). In addition to the demonstration “for public freedoms” planned for Saturday, the yellow vests called for a “prelude” on Friday, with “casserolades” in front of the National Assembly or town halls, then to join the day of strikes and demonstrations on November 5.

“We must ensure that November 5 is not just an inter-union November 5, but November 5 of the people.” “And we, after the 5th, we call for a 6-7” (“six-seven”, in reference to an expression that has become viral especially among the youngest), he said. On their site, the yellow vests call for “renewal” of strikes and blockades on November 6, then for an “Act IV” on Saturday, November 7 “for real equality”, with demonstrations throughout France.