Paris police officers struck protesters with batons near the Bastille on Thursday, April 13, ahead of the anticipated ruling from France’s Constitutional Council on the validity of the recently passed pension reform.
Video from journalist Louis Pisano shows protesters firing fireworks at police and police charging and firing tear gas at protesters. An injured person is seen carried away by medics, and other demonstrators are shown chanting on the steps of the Paris Opera.
The footage further shows police in riot gear striking demonstrators with batons. Among the demonstrators is French National Assembly Deputy Antoine Leaument, seen wearing a tricolor sash.
Police said there were 42,000 demonstrators, according to French news outlet BFMTV, while the French labor union CGT said nearly ten times that number – 400,000 – took part.
At least 80 people were arrested and 76 police officers were injured, BFMTV reported.
The heated scenes followed protests across France on Thursday, including a strike by workers who barricaded an oil refinery in Feyzin.
Protests and strikes have been ongoing since the announcement of pension reforms, which include raising the age of retirement from 62 to 64. President Emmanuel Macron forced the senate-approved legislation through on March 16, without calling a vote in parliament.
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Paris Police Strike Protesters Clash with Batons as Pension Reform Vote Approaches
As France braces for a showdown over its pension system, tensions are escalating on the streets of Paris as police officers went on strike and protested against proposed reforms that could threaten their retirement benefits.
On Thursday, dozens of police officers in riot gear marched through the streets chanting slogans and waving banners ahead of a crucial vote on the controversial pension reform bill. The protesters clashed with baton-wielding fellow police officers who were called in to control the unrest.
The strike was called by police unions, who fear that the proposed changes could force them to work longer hours to earn a full pension, and could lead to a significant reduction in benefits. The government argues that the pension system needs to be overhauled due to the country’s aging population, but opponents say that the proposed reforms will disproportionately affect certain sectors, including the police and other public servants.
The police are particularly sensitive to the proposed changes, as they are mandatory retirement age is only 52, which means that many officers could be forced to work well beyond their current expectations. The proposed reforms could also introduce a points-based system that would link pension payouts to the average earnings of a person’s whole working life, instead of the current system that calculates pensions based on the final years of service.
With tensions running high, officials have warned that the protesters could escalate their demonstrations in the coming days, which could lead to a potential repeat of the 2018 protests that paralyzed the country for weeks. The government has already proposed an early retirement scheme for police officers, but this has not been enough to defuse tensions.
Many analysts believe that the police strike is just the beginning of a larger wave of protests that could sweep across France in the coming weeks. The retirement reforms have already sparked protests from public transport workers, who went on strike for 29 days in December and January, and have resulted in widespread disruptions to travel.
As the government refuses to back down on its plans, it remains to be seen how the situation will play out. For now, Paris remains on edge as protesters and police prepare for what could be a protracted and violent struggle for their pensions.
Ahh lovvitt!!
Funny how the Zionist controlled media are now giving coverage to these protests, could it be their puppet in the shape of Macron has told the evil globalists we are not your poodles France is not your lap dog, there for he has to be removed and replace by another puppet, what better way than to support the protesters.
The police wants to work till 64.
Meanwhile, there's enough people to stop them from being struck!
Police have to be with people because they pay to police not govements!
come on fi8ght back the police batons with your batons they are hitting you for doing nothing so hit them back
Macron Demission
there may be relatives of the police in this crowd
Des casques vides en dessous
Es lebe Frankreich ❤
imagine if the Gendarmes all stepped down too. Would King Mac bring in the military? Bring back the guillotine. It's time.
M Atali n'aurait du nommer Caligula. Les Gaulois sont furieux.
1 word. Macron
Commie Globalist Macron has to go
ACAB
Uk needs do same , but uk people are cows
We the people are man if ONLY we truly knew the power we had as a united people. We'd take back our countries
well, this is the democracy and capitalism that they celebrate. I'm lucky I don't live in a capitalist country hahaha
I’m sure they were innocent and did nothing to deserve it. Bad police… One day you will need the police and they won’t give a crap and then they will be important. Thankless job caring for idiots who don’t appreciate it.
If the only the British had balls like the French do. The whole rotten edifice needs to crumble.
At least their not running people over with horses. That's our "leaders" thing.
Love the boom boom song. Frances entry to euro vision?
Thugs in uniform.
The longer he resists the will of the French people , the larger these crowds will grow and level of damage and violence will grow with it, he is like an unwelcome guest who has overstayed
This should be the uk on stopping the boat
Good.
Why don't the protesters wear hard hat's they seem to target the head's
Thats what i expect french music to sound like
The most entitled people on earth. Go work no body owes you anything. You want to start working at 30 work 30 hours a week and retire at 60 and somehow expect your country to continue existing.
They are protesting because there is no democracy.Not pension reform in itself, Macron acted like a dictator.
French – lazy, arrogant
Well if you start to launch firework at police or stone, expect some return from the police.
Tyranny shall prevail.
That's how you stand up for your right's. The people have the power not the government's. They work for us not the other way round.
Respect for France's people.
They Just Wack'em….. Monami tabarnac
These fools All they need to do is charge forward
The United States is the main fueler of the popular movement against Emmanuel Macron's government in France. Because Macro has made friends with China. Therefore, I request the common people of France that you will suffer if you step into the U.S. and cause trouble.