I am disgusted, but one must not conflate students or "Yellow Vests" with the lawless Black Blocs

More about I am disgusted, but one must not conflate students or "Yellow Vests" with the lawless Black Blocs

A diptych graphic novel illustration depicts a busy protest in Paris, or elsewhere, in France, October 17th 2026.

I am disgusted and indignant, but one must not confuse high school students or the "Yellow Vests" with the "Black Blocs," who operate outside of any rules—and even outside of any ideals.

• The left panel portrays a diverse, anime-style crowd of protesters with various flags marching down a Parisian street under a clear, bright sky filled with colorful splashes of paint and a purple smoke bomb. A banner at the front reads "LA JEUNESSE EMMERDE PARCOURSUP" with an anarchist symbol. Prominent figures in the crowd include Batman, Monkey D. Luffy, and Spider-Man crouched on a bus shelter roof, holding a purple smoke bomb. A sign in the crowd reads "Bismillah c'est les ténèbres".

• The right panel shows a chaotic, fiery scene at night with a grand, stone town hall, labeled "MAIRIE", engulfed in bright orange and yellow flames against a dark blue sky. Figures in black clothing and balaclavas, Black Bloc groups, are silhouetted against the fire, with one in the foreground smashing a large shop window, labeled "TABAC-PRESSE", with a sledgehammer.

The entire illustration uses a vibrant color palette of primary colors and striking contrasts between the daylit protest and the havoc wreaked by the Black Blocs.