One of the sparks – if not the spark – that triggered the EDSA People Power Revolution was the walkout protest of 35 Commission on Elections (Comelec) computer technicians shortly after the conclusion of the 1986 Presidential snap election.
This single act of defiance triggered various other acts of protests which later culminated in the EDSA People Power Revolution. In this sense, it only took 35 people to start a protest revolution that would later include around 300 to 500 thousand protesters.
Moreover, the Comelec technicians had only intended to protest the corruption of the1986 election. When People Power reached its zenith, the protests against election meddling had morphed into general opposition against the Marcos administration.
Fast forward to 2018, and we see something similar happening in France. The so-called Yellow Vest protests began against fuel taxes imposed by the Macron government on the French populace. Now, it has morphed into a general protest against Emmanuel Macron and his pro-EU agenda.
Les Gilets Jaunes or the Yellow Vest protests are spreading all across France. The name comes from the fact that the protestors wear yellow jackets, a symbol of opposition against higher fuel taxes and fuel prices. However, it’s clear to all observers that the protests have become more than just about fuel.
As of the writing of this article, I have seen a total of two videos where riot police have physically assaulted small groups of yellow vest protesters with batons and riot shields. And to be fair, the Yellow Vests themselves have also attacked an administrative building as well as a post-modern art center, both of which are symbols of the mainstream establishment.
And that’s not all. There’s also news of police officers, firefighters, military personnel and other civil servants supporting the protestors. The only people who still seem to support Macron are the riot police. Sound familiar?
Large, popular protests are as much about emotions (usually repressed emotions) as political calculus. On the surface, there are clear political demands and goals. These are the talking points that the protesters tell ordinary people, and they are presented in such a way so as to garner popular support.
However, such optics are usually just veneers for the raw emotions and sentiments boiling underneath the skin. That is why popular protests are so potent. They are emotional in nature. They allow repressed emotions to burst out. But before they can do that, they need a spark, a reason or even an excuse to say and do the things that they’ve always wanted to do but could not admit to doing so.
This is also the reason why popular protests eventually turn into revolutions, and why so many people are surprised when they happen. Repressing certain areas of society only intensifies this power until they explode into something fierce.
The Yellow Jackets is proof that discontent has been simmering beneath the posh veneer of French society, but at this point, no one knows how the protests will end. Emmanuel Macron has taken measures to cut appease the protesters, but with videos of riot police beating up the Yellow Jackets, such measures may be a little too late. (jdr456@gmail.com/PN)
