Bags of food were piled into the trunks, the doors slammed, the parking lots emptied and the first vehicles rushed onto the roads.
Since Wednesday, as announced on social networks, the first demonstrators of the “freedom convoys” movement have left Nice, Perpignan but also Bayonne to reach Paris, Friday evening, and demonstrate there the next day.
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While convoys leaving from other towns are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, this first day of transhumance gave a glimpse of the mobilization of this movement, which is inspired by that of the Canadian truck drivers: for several days, the latter have been blockading Ottawa to protest against sanitary measures.
The prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes has thus estimated at 180 the number of people who left Nice on Wednesday morning on board, she said,
"about sixty vehicles".
roundabout veterans
Once gathered in the capital, the demonstrators will voice their exasperation with the health measures while wanting, they say,
“to recover their freedom and their fundamental rights”.
On social networks, which have been crackling for several days, they are also demanding better purchasing power and denouncing in particular the rise in fuel prices.
So many claims reminiscent of those of the "yellow vests".
They are also not far away, not to say on the move.
This "new citizen action" is joined by these veterans of the roundabout, some of whom are once again busy, observes the regional press, determined to converge on Paris this weekend.
In addition to these anonymous, old figures return to the dance.
Maxime Nicolle, who finds this new mobilization "exceptional", indicates that he wants to stay in the background.
But Jérôme Rodrigues, he lets his anger explode against the government on a video which seems to indicate his desire to get involved in the Parisian demonstration.
Starting with the lawyer Juan Branco, who had defended the occupants of the roundabouts.
He intervenes again by distilling on the internet his advice in the event of arrest by the police.
And indicates that colleagues can support the actors of the “freedom convoys”.
As for the former pillars of the "yellow vests", their involvement is variable.
Maxime Nicolle, who finds this new mobilization
"exceptional",
indicates that he wants to stay in the background.
But Jérôme Rodrigues, he lets his anger explode against the government on a video which seems to indicate his desire to get involved in the Parisian demonstration.
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How many will there be on Saturday and what form will this mobilization take?
While various gathering places are circulating on social networks, such as the Place de la République, nothing seems to be really fixed yet.
Similarly, we do not know if this citizens' initiative, which plans to finish its race next Monday in Brussels, intends to renew, week after week, such an action.
Jérôme Rodrigues for his part predicts a lasting siege of the capital.
“Nobody will move his c… from Paris until we have had access to our demands,”
he warns.
Will the government's intentions, communicated this Wednesday, be able to calm things down?
He has indeed indicated that he envisages for the end of March or the beginning of April the lifting of the vaccination pass.
