Violent protests rock Paris again amid pension reform: ‘We are not going to stop’ – National | 24CA News
Dozens of protesters had been arrested and cops had been injured Friday throughout a second night time of violent clashes in Paris over French President Emmanuel Macron’s try to impose a rise to the nation’s retirement age with out a vote within the National Assembly.
Several 1000’s folks gathered on the Place de Concorde round a big bonfire as demonstrators stored up their strain on Macron’s authorities, which is about to face motions of no-confidence on Monday. Chants of “Macron, resign” may very well be heard within the crowd.
As they did on Thursday night time, riot police charged into the gang and threw tear gasoline to empty the large sq. throughout from the National Assembly. Some protesters grabbed wood planks from a close-by renovation website to arm themselves, hurling fireworks and stones at police.
At least 5 officers had been harm within the melee, France Info and different native media retailers reported, and between 60 and 70 protesters had been taken into custody.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin instructed radio station RTL that 310 folks had been arrested the night time earlier than, most of them in Paris.
Friday night time noticed small teams break off from the primary gathering and set road fires in close by neighbourhoods.
As Saturday dawned, these streets and the Place de Concorde had largely returned to calm.
Police officers stand within the tear gasoline throughout a protest in Paris, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly).
(AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
Demonstrators maintain a placard depicting French President Emmanuel Macron that reads, “metro, work, grave” throughout a protest in Paris, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly).
(AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
Demonstrator stand within the tear gasoline throughout a protest in Paris, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly).
(AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
Mostly small, scattered protests had been held in cities round France, from a march in Bordeaux to a rally in Toulouse.
Trade unions organizing the opposition urged demonstrators to stay peaceable throughout extra strikes and marches within the days forward. They have known as on folks to go away faculties, factories, refineries and different workplaces to power Macron to desert his plan to make the French to work two extra years, till 64, earlier than receiving a full pension.
Macron’s authorities has mentioned the plan is important to save lots of a straining pension system. But the French individuals are deeply hooked up to holding the official retirement age at 62, which is among the many lowest in OECD international locations.
“We are not going to stop,” CGT union consultant Regis Vieceli instructed The Associated Press on Friday. He mentioned overwhelming the streets with discontent and refusing to proceed working is “the only way that we will get them to back down.”
Paris rubbish collectors prolonged their strike for a twelfth day, with piles of foul-smelling garbage rising every day within the French capital. Striking sanitation employees continued to dam Europe’s largest incineration website and two different websites that deal with Paris rubbish.
Teachers’ unions known as for strikes subsequent week, which might disrupt the emblematic Baccalaureate high-school exams.
Some yellow vest activists, who mounted formidable protests towards Macron’s financial insurance policies throughout his first time period, had been amongst those that relayed Friday’s Paris protest on social media. Police say that “radicalized yellow vests” are amongst troublemakers at protest marches.
Demonstrators collect subsequent to a burning barricade as they stage a protest in Paris, Friday, March 17, 2023. Protests towards French President Emmanuel Macron’s choice to power a invoice elevating the retirement age from 62 to 64 by way of parliament with out a vote disrupted site visitors, rubbish assortment and college campuses in Paris as opponents of the change maintained their resolve to get the federal government to again down. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly).
Demonstrators rolls a wood cable spool to a burning barricade throughout a protest in Paris, Friday, March 17, 2023. Protests towards French President Emmanuel Macron’s choice to power a invoice elevating the retirement age from 62 to 64 by way of parliament with out a vote disrupted site visitors, rubbish assortment and college campuses in Paris as opponents of the change maintained their resolve to get the federal government to again down. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly).
Macron requested Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to invoke a particular constitutional energy to skirt a vote within the chaotic decrease chamber on Thursday amid concern he couldn’t get majority assist for the plan.
Left-wing and centrist opposition lawmakers filed a movement of no-confidence in parliament on Friday afternoon.
If the no-confidence votes fail, the invoice turns into regulation. If a majority agrees, it will spell the tip of the retirement reform plan and power the federal government to resign, though Macron might at all times reappoint Borne to call the brand new Cabinet.
But demonstrators made it clear that Macron’s tried transfer has crossed a line.
Going forward with out a vote “is a denial of democracy … a total denial of what has been happening in the streets for several weeks,” 52-year-old psychologist Nathalie Alquier instructed Reuters in Paris. “It’s just unbearable.”
— with recordsdata from The Associated Press and Reuters
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