Ouest-France Paper Says 'Yellow Vest' Protesters Locked Down Its Printing House

PARIS (Sputnik) - A printing house of a major regional French newspaper, Ouest-France, was locked down during the night into Thursday by protesters claiming allegiance to the "yellow vest" movement, the newspaper said in a statement.

"A group of protesters, who claimed allegiance to the 'yellow vest' movement, locked down our printing house in Nantes and exit for trucks with print versions of the newspaper intended for readers from Loire-Atlantique and Vendee departments, and Cholet commune," the statement published on the newspaper's website read.

The newspaper apologized to its readers and invited them to familiarize themselves with a free online version of the issue.

The wave of the so-called yellow vest protests — named after the obligatory attribute of French drivers — started in mid-November. While the French government has scrapped its planned hike in diesel taxes, which is what initially sparked the protests, the "yellow vests" have evolved into a broader movement against government policies and rising living costs. The rallies have been marked by violent clashes between protesters and the police.