The recent student riots in Paris and across France resulted in some of the worst violence the country has witnessed in decades. The public disorder was reminiscent of the cost-of-living protests that took place across France in 2018. On that occasion, the demonstrations were organized by the yellow vest movement.
A grassroots populist organization made up largely of trade unions and ordinary citizens, the yellow vests voiced their anger and frustration in a largely peaceful series of demonstrations that nevertheless turned bloody on occasion and rattled President Emmanuel Macron's first term in office. More recently, the yellow vests have lent their support to the students on the streets of the French capital and other cities.
But why are they called the yellow vests, and how was the movement formed? In this gallery, we explain the yellow vest movement in more detail and chart its evolution. Click on to continue reading.