According to the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), one of the organizers of the protests against the pension reform, more than 2 million people took part in the May Day demonstrations across the country. True, as was the case before, the French Ministry of the Interior gave a figure more than twice as low – 782 thousand. In any case, this is an order of magnitude more than in previous years during the traditional demonstrations spring.
“May Day has become one of the strongest events in social life in France,” said Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT, on this occasion. For his part, Laurent Berger, the leader of another trade union center – the General Democratic Confederation of Labor (FDCT), underlined that “workers have given a clear response to the pension reform with renewed vigor – it is unacceptable to them.
Mass protests have taken place in many cities across France, and not all have been peaceful.
Thus, in Paris, where the procession of May Day gathered, still according to the organizers, 550,000 people, the clashes with the police began shortly after the columns of demonstrators headed in the afternoon towards the Place de the Nation, located to the east. of the capital.
The most aggressive demonstrators, and among them were many individuals in black uniforms from radical left groups, as well as “yellow vests”, began to set fire to garbage cans, break street furniture, shop windows, agencies banking.
The most violent clashes took place around the end point of the march – Place de la Nation and in the streets leading to it. Firecrackers, fireworks, rocks and anything that fell into the hands of radical types flew at the police. Even Molotov cocktails were used. One of them hit a policeman, who suffered severe burns and was rushed to hospital. As Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin later said, ten other law enforcement officers were there with more or less serious injuries.
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p class=””>Of course, the police themselves were not inactive. They rained down on the demonstrators not only tear gas and batons, but even launched two water cannons in order to “cool down their ardor”. In addition, the water cannons are also useful to put out a major fire: scaffolding catches fire around the house in great repair which faces the square with its facade.
It was only in the evening that the guardians of the law succeeded in clearing the Place de la Nation, badly damaged by violent clashes.
Something similar also happened in Lyon, where half a dozen cars were set on fire, bus stops, several insurance and real estate agencies were vandalized.
It was also hot in Nantes, in the west of France. As a result, three dozen protesters were arrested there. In total, police arrested around 200 people across the country.
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