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Yellow vests go global as protest movements around the world adopt it

The yellow vest movement has spread to several countries around the world who are protesting similar issues.

France

French Yellow Vests turned out in small numbers for the sixth Saturday of nationwide demonstrations, with one person killed in a road accident, the tenth to die since the protests began last month.

Since their peak on November 17 when 282,000 demonstrators came out in force, the turnout has fallen to around 166,000 on November 24, 136,000 on the first and eighth of December and 66,000 on December 15.

About 23,800 people were demonstrating on Saturday, including fewer than 1,000 in Paris.

Even though the protests are slowly dwindling its symbolism became a global phenomenon.

Reuters

A protester wearing a yellow vest poses in front of a burning barricade during a demonstration of the "yellow vests" movement in Nantes, France, December 22, 2018.

Belgium

Belgium was the first country to which the protests spread with protestors coming out against high tax rates and food prices.

Belgium has the highest tax revenue globally, just after France.

Some members of the movement began working to form a party for the federal and regional elections in May 2019, under the name Mouvement citoyen belge (The Belgian Citizen Movement).

Demonstrators gathered mostly in the capital of Brussels, at the end of November and beginning of December.

Reuters

A woman is sprayed with teargas by the riot police officer during the "yellow vests" protest against higher fuel prices, in Brussels, Belgium.

Lebanon

Hundreds of protestors came out in Beirut the capital of Lebanon on Sunday, December 23, against worsening economic conditions.

Public anger has also mounted against elected politicians and their inability to form a new government since May of this year.

And, they too, used the symbol of yellow vests.

AP

Anti-government protesters hold Lebanese flags and chant slogans as riot police stand guard in front of the government building, in central Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 23, 2018.

Canada

To address the domestic oil market, protests have erupted on the 20th December in western parts of the country, where various demonstrators wear gilets jaunes.

Canada is the fourth-largest oil exporter globally and the recent decline in oil prices resulted in the layoff of workers in the state of Alberta - an oil-rich region leaving families out of work in the cusp of the Christian holiday season.

AFP

The Yellow Vest Movement was held in Bonnyville for the first time on Saturday, Dec. 15, as part of a Canada-wide rally.

Egypt

The Egyptian authorities have forbidden the sale of the yellow vests on December 11 with the restrictions lasting January 25, the eighth anniversary of the popular uprising that toppled then-president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

The decision by the Egyptian authorities is also indicative of the fragility of the Sisi regime.

Reuters

Anti-government protesters hold Lebanese flags and chant slogans as riot police stand guard in front of the government building, in central Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 23, 2018.

Israel

Economic uncertainty, increasing living costs and corruption that is currently engulfing the Netanyahu government has led to yellow vest rallies throughout this month around the country, where hundreds of protesters gather in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities.

The Netherlands

Demonstrators in yellow vests came together in December 1st and the weeks after to show solidarity with their French counterparts and to send a sign to the Dutch government that an increase in living costs and rising inequality should be dealt with by the political class.