Protesters briefly stormed the Paris headquarters of LVMH on Thursday ahead of a labor union-led march against Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform, setting off flares in the building on the chic Avenue Montaigne.

Opponents of the president’s plan to raise the minimum retirement age to 64 from 62 are increasingly targeting symbols of capitalism and business in France after the organized protests in recent weeks had little impact on the government’s plans.

On the morning of the previous day of strikes, small groups entered buildings housing the offices of BlackRock Inc. and Natixis SA.

“Apparently our government is struggling to finance our social security and pension system, so money needs to be found where it is, which is in billions in companies like LVMH,” Fabien Villedieu from the Sud-Rail unions said on BFM TV after leaving the luxury company’s building.

Macron’s government says raising the pension age is vital to boost employment rates and halt the build-up of deficits in the massive public retirement system as the population ages. Unions say changing the age thresholds to claim a full pension will disproportionately penalize the least well-off and that there are other options to balance the system, including higher taxes on business and the wealthy.

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On Tuesday, December 17, 2019, protesters in Paris briefly stormed the LVMH building in opposition to President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed pension reforms.

The demonstrators were part of a larger protest that saw thousands take to the streets across France, with transport services disrupted and flights canceled as a result. The LVMH building, the headquarters of Louis Vuitton and Moet Hennessy, was targeted due to the wealth of the luxury goods industry and the perceived lack of contribution they make to society.

According to witnesses, a group of roughly 150 protesters broke through security barriers and attempted to storm the building, but were stopped by riot police who used tear gas to disperse the crowd. The protesters reportedly chanted slogans and sprayed graffiti on the walls before being pushed back.

The reform proposals make changes to the current system that grants specific pension benefits to certain professions, such as railway workers and public transport employees. Under the new system, workers would earn points for each year worked, with a formula used to calculate the amount of pension they would receive.

Opponents of the changes argue that this new system would leave many workers worse off, particularly those in physically demanding jobs who can retire earlier under the current regime.

This latest day of action marked the sixth nationwide strike in just over a month and serves as a warning to President Macron that his proposals are not widely supported. The issue of pensions is a particular challenge for the French government, who are facing a wide range of social and economic demands from voters.

While the storming of the LVMH building may have been a short-lived and symbolic gesture, it highlights the growing frustration and anger amongst those affected by the pension reforms. The government will need to carefully navigate these protests and work with those concerned if they are to find a way forward.