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Watch 2 Minutes of Devastation as Biker Captures What Can Happen When You Tax People Too Much

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Paris, France: Mention this iconic city and images of quaint cafes, the Eiffel Tower and European culture probably spring to mind. But that idyllic imagery has been shattered over the past two weeks  and replaced with shocking devastation.

Protesters who are fed up with problems in Paris, including exorbitant taxes and a soaring cost of living, have taken their frustration out with riots. Scenes from the chaos make the famous city appear more like a war zone than the cultural hub of the Old World.

“France’s most violent urban riot in more than a decade engulfed some of central Paris on Saturday as ‘yellow jacket’ activists torched cars, smashed windows, looted stores and tagged the Arc de Triomphe with multi-colored graffiti,” The Associated Press reported.

“Protesters angry about rising taxes and the high cost of living clashed with French riot police, who closed off some of the city’s most popular tourist areas and fired tear gas and water cannon as they tried to quell the mayhem in the streets,” the news service continued. “At least 110 people were injured.”

On Twitter, videos of the Paris streets taken Saturday from a motorcycle went viral, showing just how bad the situation has become.

“The damage to Avenue Kléber in Paris is impressive, many vehicles burned,” posted French journalist Remy Buisine, according to a Twitter translation. The footage looked like the aftermath of a natural disaster, with cars overturned and destroyed.

“Police vehicle on fire near the 8th police station,” Buisine posted along with another video.

Much of the blame as been linked to French President Emmanuel Macron and his leftist policies. As the most famous French city burned, Macron was thousands of miles away at the G-20 economic summit in Argentina and tight-lipped with the media.

“In addition to rising taxes, the demonstrators are furious about Macron’s leadership, saying that his government does not care about the problems of ordinary people,” the AP explained.

“The grassroots protests began with motorists upset over a fuel tax hike, but now involve a broad range of demands related to France’s high cost of living.”

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Indeed, a 2018 report from The Economist ranked Paris as the one of the most expensive cities in the entire world, second only to Singapore.

“With west European cities returning to the fold, the region now accounts for three of the five most expensive cities and for one-half of the top ten,” the report stated.

Riots and destruction may not be the right answers to the situation in France, but they could sadly be the only actions that finally get leaders to open their eyes.

The reality is that far-left policies, from mass immigration to taxation and “social justice,” have been disastrous for Europe. Actions have consequences, and a clear message is being sent to the French elite. Whether they will listen remains to be seen.

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Benjamin Arie is an independent journalist and writer. He has personally covered everything ranging from local crime to the U.S. president as a reporter in Michigan before focusing on national politics. Ben frequently travels to Latin America and has spent years living in Mexico.




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