Thousands in France hold demonstrations against government's plans

Edited by Ed Newman
2023-06-09 23:32:39

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Paris, June 9 (RHC)-- Thousands of people in France have held fresh demonstrations to oppose the government's plans to overhaul pensions and increase the retirement age to 64.  French unions led the protests, marking the 14th day of demos against government plans to hike the retirement age.

According to authorities, between 400,000 and 600,000 people turned out at protests across France.    Clashes erupted between protesters and police in Nantes as demonstrators marched across the western French city, throwing projectiles at riot police who fired tear gas canisters at them.

Members of the hard-left CGT trade union briefly occupied the headquarters of the Paris Summer 2024 Olympics. BFM television images showed the protesters entering the building in Aubervilliers, northern Paris.  "Several dozen CGT militants got into the building for a few minutes to deploy banners against pension reform. There were no violence and no damage," a Games spokesperson told Reuters.

In some areas protesters carried flags and banners, calling on the Macron government to scrap the forced reforms.  Protest organizers hope the mass rally will pile pressure on lawmakers into reviewing the pension reform and holding a vote on it.  Meantime, French security officials deployed 11,000 police nationwide on Tuesday.

Fuel deliveries were also blocked by protesters from leaving TotalEnergies's Donges site, near Nantes in western France where tension was building on the streets. 



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