The "freedom convoy" is a movement launched by opponents of health measures in Ottawa, Canada.
For the past week, trucks and cars have been blocking the center of the Canadian capital and agitating public authorities and social networks.
On the strength of this movement, French people leave on Wednesday from their city, more or less far from the capital, to join the anti-vaccination pass demonstration organized this Saturday, in Paris.
A movement is on its way.
In the literal sense, since several thousand drivers but also individuals intend to rally Paris by this weekend to demonstrate against government policy linked to the Covid-19 epidemic and in particular against the vaccination pass.
An exceptional convoy directly inspired by that of Ottawa in Canada where, for a week, trucks and cars have been blocking the center of the capital.
Launched in France on Wednesday, the movement already brings together nearly 312,000 people on the eponymous Facebook group.
But who are these angry French people?
We take stock.
Similarities with the movement of "yellow vests"
“I have the impression of returning to a time…”.
In a video calling for the rally, published on January 29 on his Facebook page, Remi Monde, the spokesperson for the French version of the rally initiated in Canada, draws an undisguised parallel between the "freedom convoy" and the movement of "yellow vests".
At the same time, a territorial intelligence note dated February 7, unveiled by our colleagues from Le
Parisien
, affirms that we find within the "freedom convoy", a heterogeneous movement which is in line with the " yellow vests”.
According to Louis Chauvel, sociologist and one of the main theoreticians of the downgrading of the middle classes, there is no doubt: “the social epidemiology of discontent is the same as that of the “yellow vests”.
»
Initiated in France in 2018 on the basis of a challenge to fuel price increases, the movement had expanded, over time, to the more general question of the standard of living of the working and middle classes.
"The difficulties identified with the "yellow vests" movement have continued to accumulate, but with Covid-19, people have stayed at home for a long time and can't take it anymore," explains the sociologist.
On the bottom of the movement are added, in this context of Covid-19, anti-pass and anti-vax demands, but, like the question of fuel in 2018, they are not the main thing.
“It goes without saying that the movement hides much deeper tensions,” adds Louis Chauvel.
A plurality of profiles that struggle to structure themselves
If for the sociologist the followers of the “freedom convoy” are rather “people from the middle classes, from Bac to Bac + 2 level in particular”, for territorial intelligence, there is not yet a clearly identified standard profile.
The memo of February 7 indicates that the plurality of the latter would already prevent the group from clearly structuring itself.
“Disputes already oppose each other in the discussions, which are reminiscent of the internal tensions already observed in the movement of “yellow vests””, indicates the information.
And while some, like the spokesperson for the “freedom convoy”, Remi Monde, advocate a “peaceful movement so as not to be discredited”, others call for a “complete blockage” causing “disruptions in supply in fuel and food.
Like if you support the #ConvoidelaLiberte which will roll in Paris on Saturday 💪🚚🚗🚛🚙
Darmanin says he will be super firm, my friends no violence, let's give an irreproachable image. #FreedomConvoy #FreedomConvoyCanada2022 #FreedomConvoyCanada pic.twitter.com/UQj2MJd2fq
— Union Française Contre le #PassVaccinal 🇫🇷 (@UnionSanitaire) February 8, 2022
On the political side, to date, no adherence to a particular movement seems to be taking shape.
On this point, Remi Monde and the territorial note agree.
The first claims that the movement is apolitical and takes the opportunity to dissociate himself from Florian Philippot in a Facebook video from February 7.
And the second affirms in his note that no "ultra-left movement", like "ultra-right" seems to relay the convoy.
Our file on the "yellow vests"
If, like that of the yellow vests, this movement expresses "a cocktail of disarray and anger" for Louis Chauvel, will the mobilization of these actors be as important as that observed across the Atlantic?
This is the question that the government note leaves open.
Indeed, unlike Canadians, most truckers do not own their machines and are subject to the wage system.
A status thanks to which they “do not directly bear the consequences of the increase in fuel prices”, specifies the note and which would desacralize the substance of the citizen struggle.
Unless the nature of the claims is elsewhere, just like in 2018.
Society
In Nice, the departure of the “freedom convoy” starts on Wednesday morning, hoping to reach Paris on Saturday
Paris
Paris: The "freedom convoys" arrive in the capital on Friday evening
yellow vests
Canada
Expression
Covid-19
Coronavirus
Ottawa
Society
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