According to the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), one of the organizers of the protests against the pension reform, more than 2 million people participated in May Day demonstrations across the country. It is true that, as before, the French Ministry of the Interior gave a figure that was more than two times lower: 782,000. In any case, it is an order of magnitude more than in previous years in the traditional spring demonstrations.
“This May Day has become one of the most powerful events in the social life of France,” said Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT, on this occasion. For his part, Laurent Berger, leader of another trade union, the Democratic General Confederation of Labor (FDCT), stressed that “the workers gave a clear response to the pension reform with renewed vigor: it is unacceptable for them.”
Mass demonstrations took place in many cities in France, and not all of them were peaceful.
Thus, in Paris, where the May Day procession brought together, again according to the organizers, 550,000 people, clashes with the police began shortly after the columns of protesters headed in the afternoon towards the Place de la Nation, which is in the east. From the capital
The most aggressive demonstrators, and among them there were many individuals dressed in black from radical left groups, as well as “yellow vests”, began to set fire to garbage dumps, destroy street furniture, shop windows, bank branches.
The most violent confrontations occurred at the accesses to the final point of the march, the Plaza de la Nación, and in the streets that lead to it. Firecrackers, fireworks, stones and everything that passed through the hands of the radicals flew towards the police. Molotov cocktails were even used. One of them hit a police officer, who suffered severe burns and was rushed to hospital. As Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin later said, ten more law enforcement officers were there with injuries of varying severity.
True, the police themselves were not idle. Not only tear gas and batons rained down on the demonstrators, but they even launched two water cannons to “cool their ardor.” In addition, water cannons were also useful in putting out a large fire: scaffolding caught fire around the house, which was undergoing major repairs, which overlooked the square with its facade.
Only at night did the guardians of the law manage to evict the Place de la Nation, which had been badly damaged by violent clashes.
Something similar also happened in Lyon, where half a dozen cars were burned, bus stops, several insurance agencies and real estate vandalized.
It was also hot in Nantes, in the west of France. As a result, three dozen protesters were arrested there. In total, the police arrested about 200 people across the country.
