More clashes, charges and at least 76 arrests in Paris
In France, the weather is getting hotter. Several police charges against demonstrators were also recorded last night in Paris, in the 13th arrondissement. At least 76 people were arrested as they took part in protests against the Macron government’s pension reform.
The prefecture of Paris has banned gatherings in place de la Concorde and on the Champs-Elysées for today after two consecutive evenings of protests against the pension reform that resulted in clashes between demonstrators and the police. “Due to the serious risk of unrest and public safety problems, gatherings on the public street in and around the place de la Concorde as well as on the avenue des Champs-Elysees are prohibited”. It’s still: “People who try to gather in those places will be systematically dispersed and will be able to be identified by the police,” the statement concludes.
Tensions at Place d’Italie
The Place d’Italie district in Paris was one of the major theaters of clashes with the police and the site of several arrests, on the sidelines of a demonstration which denounced the use of the 49.3 law to approve the pension reform.
It is the third evening of tension in the capital, following Thursday’s announcement that Elisabeth Borne would use the article of the Constitution which allows for the adoption of a text without a vote, except for a motion of censure.
Garbage bins set on fire, the windows of billboards and bus shelters targeted. Around 20:00 the police intervened, in particular the Brigades de repression de l’action violente motorisees (BRAV-M), and used tear gas. PShortly after 21.30, the water cannons led to the dispersal of most of the demonstrators.
During the previous two nights, the demonstrations on the Place de la Concorde had been marred by incidents. By nightfall, hundreds of people had clashed with police in small groups, throwing objects. The police carried out numerous searches of passers-by, checking documents and identity cards and asking people who did not move to leave. According to a police source, at least ten people were arrested on the Place de la Concorde.
Tensions and clashes with the police took place in the afternoon in several cities, including Nantes and Brest. Between 6,000 and 15,000 people and between 5,000 and 6,000 took to the streets in the two Breton towns respectively. In Nantes, protesters began throwing bottles at the police, according to an AFP photographer. Four protesters were arrested. In Brest, on the other hand, numerous tear gas attacks against a group of people who had gathered under the prefecture.
For the ‘patron’ of Tesla and Twitter, Elon Musk, the increase in the retirement age in France “is legitimate” because people retire early in the country. Musk spoke again today on the subject, which is setting France on fire, on Twitter after last January he had already commented on the French reform saying that “Macron is doing a difficult but right thing”. “It is impossible for a small number of wage earners to support a large number of pensioners,” he explained on his account at the time.
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