Demonstrations against fuel in France: a man with a grenade asks for a meeting of Macron

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A man armed with a grenade asking protesters to be heard by French President Emmanuel Macron was arrested in western France.

The man, who wore a yellow jacket similar to that of the protesters, went after several hours of negotiations in Angers.

The incident comes as Paris prepares for the arrival of tens of thousands of protesters taking part in a second weekend of demonstrations.

They protest against fuel prices.

Much of the anger is directed against President Emmanuel Macron, accused of being out of reach.

What happened in Angers?

The police were first informed of the incident around 4:45 pm local time (15:45 GMT) on Friday, and the man finally made it just before 10:30 pm.

According to the local police, the 45-year-old journalist held a grenade in his hands, demanding that "the yellow vests be received at the Elysée Palace", the official residence of the president in Paris.

The man had spent the afternoon with a group of demonstrators gathered near the Espace Anjou shopping center, said a local official, Bernard Gonzalez, according to the AFP news agency.

The explosive device, which is currently being inspected by experts, is "not a fake," added Gonzalez, pointing out that "there was a real risk" for those around him.

The protesters moved away from the unidentified man.

What happens Saturday?

A smaller number of protesters wearing yellow jackets – thus giving its name to the yellow vest – have set up roadblocks in the country since the main protests last weekend.

But the number of protesters is expected to increase Saturday as Paris prepares for the arrival by train and coach of people from all over France.

According to the Reuters news agency, about 30,000 people are expected in the capital, with other events planned elsewhere.

About 3,000 police officers were brought to Paris only to work – not only during the demonstration against the yellow jacket, but also against sexual violence, as well as at football and rugby matches.

Feeling ignored

by Hugh Schofield, BBC News, Paris

This is a social media era protest, which means that there are no real leaders, no real claims, and no one really knows how much is going to be there or in Paris.

The Eiffel Tower and two large squares in the east of Paris offered rallying points, but there is a fear that the protesters will not focus, they could split into a myriad of small groups – much more difficult to handle especially if , as is far from impossible, the troublemakers are trying to join their ranks.

The protest may be amorphous, but the anger is real.

Its city center is what is known here as France from the periphery: that is, the thousands of small towns in the country where people rely heavily on the car to get to work and shop. – and who feel ignored by the sophisticated decision makers of the capital.

Why drivers on the warpath?

The price of diesel, the most commonly used fuel in French cars, has risen by about 23% over the last 12 months to reach an average of € 1.51 (£ 1.32) per liter, its highest level since the early 2000s, according to AFP. .

World oil prices rose before falling back, but the Macron government increased its hydrocarbon tax this year by 7.6 cents per liter on diesel and 3.9 cents on gasoline, under the A campaign for cleaner cars and fuels.

The decision to impose a further increase of 6.5 cents on diesel and 2.9 cents on gasoline on January 1, 2019 was considered the drop of water.

The president attributed three-quarters of the rise in world oil prices. He also said that more taxes on fossil fuels were needed to finance investments in renewable energy.

What happened last weekend?

Some 280,000 people took part in demonstrations Saturday in more than 2,000 locations in France. The demonstrations continued until Sunday.

The demonstrations have left two dead and more than 600 wounded, according to the Interior Ministry.

At least 50 people were also arrested, although most of the demonstrations went off without incident.

Many of the injuries occurred when drivers tried to force their way through protesters.

Chantal Mazet, 63, was killed in the southeastern region of Savoy when a driver who was taking his daughter to the hospital was panicked after being blocked by about 50 protesters who hit the roof of his vehicle and drove them inside.

The driver was charged with manslaughter and released on bail, prosecutors said.

About 3,500 people remained outside on Saturday in what Interior Minister Christophe Castaner described as a "restless night."

In Paris, protesters approaching the palace of the Elysee were repelled by tear gas.