In France on May Day, there have been at least 108 police officers injured in violent skirmishes with protestors. The discontent is a result of the proposed pension reform amendments, which include raising the state pension age from 62 to 64 as part of President Emmanuel Macron’s reforms.
On Monday, as trade unions turned their customary Labor Day marches into anti-government rallies opposing the raising of the retirement age, French police opened fire with tear gas and engaged in combat with protesters in Paris and other cities.
291 arrests during the violence have been confirmed by the Interior Ministry. The interior minister, Gérard Darmanin, reported a significant number of police officers being hurt, which is a very unusual occurrence. The number of demonstrators hurt during the violence is unknown.
Darmanin denounced the “black blocs” of protestors, who he described as being from the extreme left. He said that there were about 2,000 of them in Paris and another 1,000 in Lyon, a city in the southeast. He demanded severe punishment” for “those who attacked the police and public property.
Although most of France saw peaceful protests, radical groups in favor of the pension reform changes set off fireworks and petrol bombs. To disperse the enraged protesters, riot police retaliated by using water cannons and tear gas. A direct petrol bomb assault in Paris left one police officer with severe burns to his hands and face.
The great majority of protestors were peaceful, but Darmanin said that in Paris, Lyon, and Nantes in particular, police encountered exceptionally aggressive rioters (casseurs) whose only goal was to murder a police officer and damage other people’s property.
Lyons, Toulouse, and Nantes were also hit by the unrest, as shops were attacked and vehicles were set ablaze. Additionally, protesters were briefly seen occupying a posh hotel in Marseille, a city in southern France, according to news reports.
In conclusion, the unrest that occurred in France on May Day is the most recent step in a long line of demonstrations opposing pension reform. While some groups are willing to participate in nonviolent protests, violent radical groups continue to obstruct any advancements.
The French administration still faces opposition from both voters and labor groups, raising doubts about the viability of the suggested pension reforms.
Glamour Adah
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