France’s fourth branch of government

The so-called ‘fourth branch of government’, the streets of France have again been the backdrop for weeks of relentless unrest. Peaceful student protests that began in mid-September quickly escalated into widespread violence, vandalism, and looting, which the BBC has referred to as “some of the worst scenes of disorder in France's modern history.”

This New York Times article looks at France’s Long, Fervent History of Protest, discussing some of the most notable movements that have shaped (and shaken) the nation.