The evening of Thursday, November 29 had started well, Allonnes (Sarthe), at the gathering of yellow vests. It went badly at Le Mans, in the South Industrial Zone. Tear gas responded to the throwing stones. Reportage.
In Allonnes, in the parking lot of the Leclerc hypermarket, coordinators of the yellow vests movement speak to nearly 300 people this Thursday, November 29th. To remember a few rules, stay calm, "zero alcohol, zero drugs" . And to agree on the claims, related to the purchasing power. Quite quickly, at 9 pm on Thursday, November 29, protesters head for Le Mans, an industrial zone south.
Police are already stationed in front of the oil depot. A big fire is lit, pallets and tires. The yellow vests lay flowers at the foot of the CRS, nod to May 68. "The police, with us! They say. There are men, women, children, elderly people and quite a few young adults.
The situation is degenerating
Some yellow vests are angry, approach the CRS. One of them especially, angry, provokes them. Others stop him, he does not want to know anything. And it is from this scene that the situation degenerates. A CRS empties its tear bomb on a protester, fumigating tear gas how to be fired. The water lance is directed at the protesters. "We've dropped you flowers, that's how you thank us! A young man screams.
The response is not long in coming: yellow vests are piling up the police trucks. One of them, equipped with a gas mask, even found paving stones that immediately balance. Insults are hurled. "We go for the fight," say a few. Caught in fear, at least two-thirds of the yellow jackets have left the scene. No more coordinator, no more calls to calm the game.
Evacuation by force
Encircled, protesters can not escape the tear gas. And then it's the CRS charge. After two summons, the last is to evacuate the place by force. The demonstrator who had been aggressive towards the CRS is on board. It's the physical clash, the shields fly. In rank, the dozen of CRS forces the hundred yellow Vests to leave, swinging from time to time tear gas. 11 pm, some demonstrators announce that they join the roundabout of Océane, in North commercial zone.