The demonstrations organized on Saturday against the pension reform gathered between 149,000 people, according to the Interior Ministry, and 500,000 according to the CGT, significantly less than Thursday, the previous day of mobilization. Incidents broke out in Paris, with projectile throwing and aftershocks by the police.
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In Paris, the CGT claimed 150,000 demonstrators, when the Prefecture of Police counted 21,000, while 23,000 people passed under the counting point of the cabinet Occurrence, mandated by a media collective.
These figures are in sharp decline compared to Thursday: opponents of the reform were then 452,000 to 1.7 million nationally, 56,000 to 370,000 in the capital.
Incidents
In Paris, the demonstrators at the head of a pre-procession, essentially composed of people dressed in black and hooded as well as “yellow vests”, smashed shop windows on the path of the procession connecting the Place de la Nation to that of the Republic. Projectiles were launched towards the police, who responded with tear gas. Pavers have been loosened; an HSBC bank branch and several stores were ransacked.
According to the police headquarters (PP) on Twitter, these degradations by “thugs” took place “while customers were inside” the shops. “The rapid intervention of #FDO (security forces, editor’s note) made it possible to evacuate these people,” said the PP.
During the clashes that broke out at avenue Daumesnil in the capital’s 12th arrondissement, some demonstrators shouted “LBD”, in reference to the controversial shots of defense ball launchers responsible for serious injuries to the demonstrators during previous events.
Other demonstrators ran to hide under gates, in great confusion. The street medics, first aid volunteers during the demonstrations, seemed overwhelmed.
“We’re stuck, there is no escape. It’s crazy, it’s a legal demonstration! In fact, we cannot demonstrate, ”commented 40-year-old intermittent Elodie Pairolo, who admits to being“ afraid ”, sheltered under a carriage door.
“We will escape if necessary but it is important to be there,” said Frédéric Samé, a lawyer in a gown accompanied by his son.
The union procession left Nation around 2:00 p.m. Several hundred “yellow vests”, which left at the end of the morning from the François Mitterrand bridge, had placed themselves at the head of the procession with banners and wreaths of flowers, in homage to the delivery man who died after being arrested by the police, Cédric Chouviat. Among the slogans: “Castaner in hell”, “Macron resignation”.
This mobilization day was the second of the week, after that of Thursday which was punctuated by violent clashes. Some 452,000 protesters were counted by the Interior Ministry on Thursday, including 56,000 in the capital.
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