Paris streets ablaze as protesters across France vent fury over pensions reform
Anti-government rioters brought “fire and blood” to the streets of France on Tuesday – days after a state visit by King Charles was cancelled because of the violence.
Up to a million people joined marches against President Emmanuel Macron raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a parliamentary vote.
Ones in cities including Paris and Nantes erupted into violence with gangs involved in running battles with the police.
“Radicalised elements from the Left and the Ultra-Left want to hijack the trade union processions,” said Gerald Darmanin, France’s Interior Minister.
“Their aim is to bring fire and blood to France,” he added, saying that 13,000 police and gendarmes were mobilised, including 5,500 in Paris alone.
They were supported by armoured cars, water cannon, and military units in reserve.
Dozens of fires were lit around Nation square in Paris, after an authorised march finished in the mid-afternoon.
Paramilitary units responded with tear gas rounds and baton charges, in an attempt to hold back a huge group.
The most feared group was the Black Bloc – an alliance of anarchists from all over Europe.
King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, were meant to be in Bordeaux today, as part of a four-day state visit to France, but it was dramatically halted on Friday.
Attacks included an attempt to burn down the City Hall in the south west city, where unions had pledged to barrack the Royal couple.
The protest movement is the biggest domestic crisis of Macron’s second term, with the strikes on Tuesday also affecting refineries, bin collections, rail transport, air travel and schools.
The Louvre museum in Paris was blocked by strikers, while pickets continued at petrol depots and waste incinerators, particularly surrounding the capital, where 10,000 tonnes of rubbish are still piling up.
The crisis has intensified as lawyers complain of excess violence and arbitrary arrests by squads of paramilitary police.
A 30-year-old man was fighting for his life in a coma on Tuesday after being repeatedly hit over the head with a police truncheon during a riot at the weekend.
In turn, Mr Darmanin said “many police officers have been severely injured” during the protests.
Despite the violence and industrial paralysis, Mr Macron and his prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, said there was no chance of a climb down from flagship pensions reform.
“We have to find the right path,” said Ms Borne. “We need to calm down.”
But Laurent Berger, the head of the moderate CFDT union, said the protests would continue until there was a U-turn.
