Over 1,000 People Sentenced in France Over Yellow Vest Protests

PARIS (Sputnik) - Over 1,000 people have been sentenced in France over the yellow vest protests that have been raging in the country since mid-November 2018, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Monday.

"Over 1,000 sentences have been given in total. Around 5,600 people have been detained since the beginning of the [protest] movement," Philippe said as broadcast by TF1.

The yellow vest protests, named after the obligatory attribute of French drivers, were initially triggered by planned diesel price increase, but then evolved into a broader movement against government policies. The protests have not calmed down even after the government cancelled the planned diesel price hike and introduced a range of measures to resolve the social and economic crisis in the country.

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The protests have been marked by violent clashes between yellow vest activists and police forces, with scores of detentions and injuries.