French economy hit hard by ‘yellow vest’ protests: Minister

AVA- Bruno Le Maire made the remarks on Monday after a meeting with industry groups and business federations affected by the protest movement.
He further noted that sector revenues had been hit by between 15 and 50 percent.
Small retailers had seen a fall in revenue of between 20 and 40 percent, the hotel industry was seeing reservations down 15 to 25 percent, and restaurants, depending on their location, had seen takings collapse by between 20 and 50 percent, he noted.
"The impact is severe and ongoing," Le Maire said, emphasizing that it was nationwide, although Paris, after riots and looting in some of its most upmarket districts on Saturday afternoon and evening, was particularly affected.
During Saturday's disturbances in Paris, tourists were left shocked, with some saying they would cut short their visit.
The movement began on November 17 as a social-media-planned protest against fuel-tax rises but has since morphed into an uprising against the policies of President Emmanuel Macron.
The protests have taken on a name of its own: the "yellow vest" protests, a reference to the vests worn by people active in the transportation industry.
Three people have been killed in the protests since demonstrations started more than two weeks ago, police said.
French ambulance drivers on Monday joined the nationwide protests. They blamed the 40-year-old President Macron, whom they see as detached from the everyday struggles of ordinary people, for their woes.
Riot police, however, used tear gas to disperse the drivers demonstrating against a new medical transport finance reform in Paris.
Protesting ambulance workers demand the suspension of the new medical transport finance reform, which they say undercuts smaller ambulance companies.
At least 100 ambulance workers used their vehicles to block a bridge leading to the National Assembly, with paramedics screeching sirens and blocking access to the square from Rue de Rivoli.