"They are perfectly capable of appreciating the nature of the threat and answering it in a proportionate manner," said General Bruno Leray in a Friday interview with Franceinfo Radio. "If their life or that of the people they defend is threatened, they can go up to opening fire."

As we reported Wednesday, French authorities announced the deployment of counter-terror troops from Opération Sentinelle to focus on Yellow Vest related threats following the worsening protest situation of the past weekend (after a brief lull at the end of President Macron's failed 'great debate' initiative which pushed town halls to air grievances), which nearly turned deadly for random civilians caught in the mayhem of rioters clashing with police.