Protests flare across France after Council's pension reform ruling
Unplanned protests - and some violent clashes - are underway in several French cities following a ruling in favour of the controversial pension reform from the Constitutional Council.
On Friday evening the Constitutional Council ruled in favour of the majority of Emmanuel Macron's planned pension reform - representing the last step on the legal and political process to challenge the highly controversial reform bill.
LATEST Constitutional Court approves French pension reform
Within hours manifestations sauvages (unplanned or unlicenced demonstrations) erupted in French cities including Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon, Rennes and Nantes.
In Paris there were some, isolated violent moments, with barriers and waste bins set alight while police used tear gas and baton charged demonstrators.
🔴 Charge des CRS pour tenter de disperser un groupe de manifestants en cortège sauvage dans Paris. pic.twitter.com/auOaGKva2Q
— Clément Lanot (@ClementLanot) April 14, 2023
There were clashes in the Marais area after a spontaneous demo at the town hall, at which VĂ©lib' hire bikes were set alight, and later trouble flared near Bastille.
Une barricade enflammée rue des Francs-Bourgeois alors que le cortège sauvage remonte la rue Vieille du Temple #ReformeDesRetraites @LeParisien_75 pic.twitter.com/IaO632XAhB
— Auguste Canier (@gustocanier) April 14, 2023
In Nantes police used water cannon to prevent protesters from reaching the préfecture building, while tear gas was used by police in Lyon.
La manifestation se termine, une nouvelle est annoncée à 18h mardi prochain devant le Radisson Blu. Pendant ce temps, des poubelles et grillagrs brûlent près de l'arrêt Duchesse Anne Château #Nantes @Le_Figaro pic.twitter.com/Qy83hzi8Xm
— Laurène Trillard (@laurenetrillard) April 14, 2023
One union leader has called for a "popular tsunami" of protest on May Day, the traditional day for marches and demonstrations.
Sophie Binet, newly elected leader of the hardline CGT union, called for "a popular tsunami - a historic, massive, family-friendly and festive day of protest" against the pension reform on Monday, May 1st.
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On Friday evening the Constitutional Council ruled in favour of the majority of Emmanuel Macron's planned pension reform - representing the last step on the legal and political process to challenge the highly controversial reform bill.
LATEST Constitutional Court approves French pension reform
Within hours manifestations sauvages (unplanned or unlicenced demonstrations) erupted in French cities including Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon, Rennes and Nantes.
In Paris there were some, isolated violent moments, with barriers and waste bins set alight while police used tear gas and baton charged demonstrators.
🔴 Charge des CRS pour tenter de disperser un groupe de manifestants en cortège sauvage dans Paris. pic.twitter.com/auOaGKva2Q
— Clément Lanot (@ClementLanot) April 14, 2023
There were clashes in the Marais area after a spontaneous demo at the town hall, at which VĂ©lib' hire bikes were set alight, and later trouble flared near Bastille.
Une barricade enflammée rue des Francs-Bourgeois alors que le cortège sauvage remonte la rue Vieille du Temple #ReformeDesRetraites @LeParisien_75 pic.twitter.com/IaO632XAhB
— Auguste Canier (@gustocanier) April 14, 2023
In Nantes police used water cannon to prevent protesters from reaching the préfecture building, while tear gas was used by police in Lyon.
La manifestation se termine, une nouvelle est annoncée à 18h mardi prochain devant le Radisson Blu. Pendant ce temps, des poubelles et grillagrs brûlent près de l'arrêt Duchesse Anne Château #Nantes @Le_Figaro pic.twitter.com/Qy83hzi8Xm
— Laurène Trillard (@laurenetrillard) April 14, 2023
One union leader has called for a "popular tsunami" of protest on May Day, the traditional day for marches and demonstrations.
Sophie Binet, newly elected leader of the hardline CGT union, called for "a popular tsunami - a historic, massive, family-friendly and festive day of protest" against the pension reform on Monday, May 1st.
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