White Vests Movement Emerges in France to Counter Protest Violence

Amid escalating protests in France, a new movement named "White Vests" has emerged aiming to confront violence without siding with the police or relinquishing the right to demonstrate. This initiative was launched by a French businessman who, after witnessing teenagers vandalizing shops, decided to take to the streets with volunteers to try to prevent escalation and calm protesters. The movement seeks to protect protests from the violence overshadowing their demands in the coming period. Six volunteers participated in a march in Chambéry, wearing white shirts, attempting to remove obstacles and engage in dialogue with youth, listening and trying to ease tensions among a tense crowd. David Co, the 48-year-old businessman from Chambéry, was alarmed when he saw two young boys throwing stones at a store facade during October protests. He intervened and asked them to stop, prompting them to retreat quickly. Co believes that 95% of those involved in looting are merely spectators filming the event, and that the presence of an adult saying "no" can change things. Based on this, he created a Facebook page and gathered a group called "White Vests." During the October 24 march, the six volunteers stayed at the back of the crowd, trying to prevent escalation amid about 200 protesters dressed in black with covered faces confronting police with handheld explosives. Co emphasizes that their role does not replace security forces nor do they intervene in confrontations; rather, they focus on preventing escalation and calming herd mentality, acknowledging they cannot confront organized groups of vandals. Volunteer Corinne explained her motivation, saying she usually does not protest but was driven by the unrest to act and defend the right to peaceful demonstration. The idea is not entirely new; in January 2019, during the Yellow Vests protests in Paris, a similar initiative appeared where volunteers wore white armbands to accompany the ranks and maintain peaceful protests. The aim of that initiative was to guide protesters to avoid provocations and form a human barrier to protect everyone, which was accepted by demonstrators who saw it as a way to preserve the protest’s image. Co believes that vandalism steals the protest’s message, noting that a poorly conducted demonstration makes everyone forget the real demands, but he concludes optimistically that this is just the beginning and it could make a difference in the future.