French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested increasing the retirement age in France from 62 to 64 and French citizens are in an uproar.
Since mid-January, the country has faced repeated nationwide strikes and today’s gathering my be the largest one yet with police anticipating upwards of 1.4 million people protesting.
Riot police have been dealing with increasing violence in the capital city of Paris as protesters pepper police with projectiles.
Current scenes in Paris against a reform that would raise the pension age from 62 to 64. pic.twitter.com/dc5qK050fb
— Kevin smith (@KJ00355197) March 7, 2023
Clashes are intensifying in Paris as workers protest against the government’s pension reform plans. Video footage shows riot police using tear gas and batons to repress protesters who are responding with pyrotechnics and anything else they can get their hands on. #grevedu7mars pic.twitter.com/3yOoQzOldx
— red. (@redstreamnet) March 7, 2023
Violence erupted on the streets of Paris today as thousands took to the streets across France to protest against pension reforms.
Riot police fought running battles with demonstrators in the capital city on a so-called Black Tuesday of industrial action across the country.
The worst trouble was close to the Port Royal metro station, where hundreds of riot police used tear gas and baton charges. As projectiles rained down on them, bins were set on fire and bus stops destroyed by so-called Black Bloc anarchists.
Big crowds also took to the streets in Marseille, Nice and other cities, and trouble was also reported in other major cities including Lyon, Nantes, and Rennes.
A Parisian police spokesperson said ‘radical agitators’ had joined the crowds and accused them of ‘attacking police whenever they can’. ‘A protest march is being heavily policed, and everything is being done to restore law and order,’ he added.