For most, the March 16 violence in Paris dropped like a bomb shell: After weeks of weaker participation and the once-a-week rallies being contained by security forces without any major incidents, France’s Yellow Vest movement was being described as running out of steam. "Act XVIII" of the protests, however, showed that the Yellow Vests had not given up, and resulted in France’s emblematic Champs-Élysées boulevard being left in a pile of broken glass and flames.
The government has attributed the violence to extreme elements ‐ so-called casseurs ‐ who have infiltrated the movement from both the left and the right side of the political spectrum.
"Today's actions are not the work of protesters, but of looters, arsonists and criminals. No cause justifies this violence," Prime Minister Édouard Philippe tweeted after visiting the scene of the destruction.
While some Yellow Vests continue to fully distance themselves from the violence, others now appear willing to let the ransacking slide.