Alexandre Frey

Alexandre Frey, 37, says his life is “ruined” after he was blinded in the right eye by a rubber bullet in Paris on December 8, 2018. He lives in Vendeuil-Caply, northern France, and is a casual worker in the culture sector. He now watches the yellow vest protests on TV and hopes he will be able to return to work one day. AFP interviewed him on March 13, 2019.

Why were you there?

As a father, I ask myself serious questions about what’s happening to this country. People are starving. I wanted to express my anger and fight for our children’s future. It was the second time I’d protested in Paris. Paris is the capital, it’s symbolic.

What happened?

I wasn’t leading the protest, but I’m not afraid so I was often at the front of the crowd. They must have thought I was some sort of leader. We left for the Champs-Elysees around 10 o’clock. As soon as we crossed the Seine, I felt there was something unusual. We were blocked in from all sides like a mousetrap. There was firing everywhere, flames, it was war.

At one point my friend was hit in the leg. I reassured him, laid him on his side. They aimed at us again. That's when I took one in the eye, it smashed my eyeball, the socket, retina, everything. I didn't fall but my friends were telling me "your eye's gone, your eye's gone!"

On that day, they (the police) weren’t thinking straight. I think they were more frightened than us. I didn’t smash a window in, didn’t hit a policeman. Even if I’d smashed a shop window in, I didn’t deserve that.

What is your life like now?

I’m 37 and my life is ruined. I would rather have been sentenced to 10 years in jail. They can give me all the compensation in the world, but they’ve taken a part of me. What happened to me left a mark on my face. I hope to work again. I work in events management. It’s a job where you have to present well. I’m going to have to adapt to my new life. It’s difficult for me to walk. I can’t even imagine driving or going swimming. I’m not angry at the police (...) I’m only angry at the politicians who order them to do terrible things.

I’m still a yellow vest. These people out standing on roundabouts are incredible. I get little old ladies coming up to me to give me 10 euros to help me, even though they earn 600€ a month.