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Why French police fear Saturday’s nationwide fuel price protests

French police are especially worried about Saturday's planned fuel protests - including road blocks and go-slows - which have been organised by the so-called 'gilets jaunes' (yellow vests) movement. Here's why.

Published: 16 November 2018 17:09 CET
Why French police fear Saturday's nationwide fuel price protests
Photo: AFP
French police are facing a challenging weekend with 'yellow vest' protesters preparing to blockade roads and bring traffic all over the country to a standstill on Saturday.
 
According to a map created and maintained by the protest group themselves, several hundred gatherings are set to take place across France. 
 
One of the reasons police are particularly worried is that, unlike most street protests, they do not know exactly what to expect.
 
A police source said that more than 1,500 protests are expected but only a hundred have been declared with the local authorities so far.
 
“It's a real headache: without declarations, the local authorities cannot make a specific request for police reinforcements, nor know how many police forces are needed, and where,” a police source told AFP.
 
READ ALSO:

How the 'yellow vests' are planning to block France's roads on SaturdayPhoto: AFP

In fact because all of the protests have been organised through social media, the French authorities fear the location of the protests is almost impossible to pin down and it makes it difficult to predict how many people will turn up.
 
Philippe Capon, general secretary of the UNSA Police union told BFMTV: “The problem is that we do not really know what will happen.
 
“Usually, when traditional social movements are organized, they are declared with the local authorities.”

Another of the reasons the French police — most of whom have dealt with more than their fair share of protests — are particularly worried is that the 'yellow vests' do not have an officially identified leader, spokespeople or political affiliation.

On top of that they aren't linked to France's traditional trade unions, who normally organise protests through their central and regional structures. 

Capon said that Saturday will be “complicated”, in particular because of the lack of spokespeople.

“Without a point of contact, it is complex for the police to establish an exact program and anticipate events.”
 
READ ALSO:

Fuel protests in France: MAP reveals locations of planned road blocks

“It's the kind of movement that spreads like a spider's web,” said Capon. “This lack of opportunity to anticipate, it complicates our task a lot, and it greatly increases the risk of overflowing.
 
“Because we know from experience that each event brings its share of 'parasites' who just come to make trouble,” said Capon, adding that this is especially true when you arrange a protest on social media. 
 
“When you call people you do not know to join you, you do not control these people, you do not know who they are or how they will react,” he said. 

 
The Interior Ministry said on Thursday that a monitoring unit would be set up in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport, and that 30 units of mobile police forces would be made available to the local authorities.
 
The French police have the power to “evacuate by force any unauthorized protest that impedes traffic” and offenders could incur up to two years in prison and €4,500 in fines.
 
What do we know about the organisers, so far?
 
Investigators working for the central territorial intelligence services (SCRT) believe they have identified eight organisers, five men and three women aged 27 to 37 years, from their Facebook accounts. 
 
All of them except one live in the Seine-et-Marne department in the greater Paris region of Ile-De-France.

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PROPERTY

How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

Storm Ciaran’s property-wrecking passage through France - with another storm forecast for the weekend - may have many people wondering how comprehensive their insurance cover is. 

Published: 3 November 2023 15:45 CET
How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

In the wake of Storm Ciaran, thousands of property owners in France are preparing insurance claims – with initial estimates of the bill for damage between €370 million and €480 million.

Home insurance is compulsory in France, whether you own the property you live in or you rent – and it must include some level of storm damage cover. 

Check also to see if your insurance provides cover in case of a declaration of a catastrophe naturelle.

The garantie tempête (storm guarantee) covers damage caused by violent winds. What constitutes a ‘violent wind’ varies from contract to contract, but there appears to be a widespread consensus of agreement on wind speeds over 100km/h.

In most insurance contracts, this covers damage caused by the storm and within the following 48 hours – so you’re covered if, for example, a tree weakened by the storm comes down within that period and damages your property.

Be aware that, while the storm guarantee automatically covers the main property, it generally only covers any secondary buildings and light constructions – such as a veranda, shed, solar panels, swimming pool or fence – if they are specifically mentioned in the contract. 

The same is true of any cars damaged by debris. A basic insurance contract might not include storm damage, so it is always worth checking.

Damage must be reported to your insurer as quickly as possible. The deadline for making declarations is usually five days after any damage is noticed. This is especially important for second home owners, who may not be at the property when the damage occurs. 

In some cases – such as in the aftermath of Storm Ciaran – insurers may extend the reporting period. But under normal circumstances, it’s five days after the damage has been discovered.

What happens next

To make a claim, the first thing to do is contact your insurer by phone or email. Your insurer will take you through the next steps, but usually you have to send in a declaration – which should include an estimate of any losses and for any repairs, with evidence where possible, such as photographs and any receipts for purchases. 

Your insurer may also request proof of wind intensity, which can be provided for example by a nearby weather station.

The insurance company may appoint an expert to come and assess the damage, so make sure to keep damaged property safe until they arrive, as well as all invoices for any urgent repair work. 

What if you’re a tenant?

If you rent your property, you must report any damage inside the accommodation to your insurer and also notify your landlord so that they can file their own claim. 

In the case of a co-propriete, you must declare damage inside the accommodation to your insurer, while the trustee sends his own declaration to the collective insurance (which sometimes covers the private areas) .

How long does it take for claims to be settled?

Payment of the compensation provided for by the “storm guarantee” depends your home insurance contract. After the insurer has estimated the amount of damage, compensation is generally paid between 10 and 30 days following receipt of the insured’s agreement.

What if we got flooded?

In the case of flooding, you may have to wait for a natural disaster order to be issued. 

Catastrophe naturelle

The ‘state of natural disaster’ is a special procedure that was set up in 1982 so victims of exceptional natural events, such as storms, heavy rain, mudslides and flooding, as well as drought, can be adequately compensated for damage to property.

The government evaluates each area and deems whether it qualifies for the status of catastrophe naturelle (natural disaster). 

Essentially once a zone is declared a natural disaster, victims can claim from a pot of funds created by all insurers. If the zone is not declared a disaster, insurance companies are under no obligation to pay out. 

Under a “state of natural disaster” residents are covered for all those goods and property that are directly damaged by the phenomenon, in this case storms.

It applies to residential or commercial buildings, furniture, vehicles and work equipment that are already covered by insurance policies.

Homes must be already covered by a multi-risk insurance policy for the status of natural disaster to count.

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