Thursday, March 23, 2023

Violent clashes in Paris as pension age row rages

 

Macron doesn't care about the people - French firefighter   



Firefighter Christophe Marin is from Val d'Oise to the north of Paris.

He tells me that he and his colleagues have attended demonstrations since they began.

Marin says they will continue their protests until President Macron removes his pension reform.

"We were getting a little bit demotivated, but the announcement of the 49:3 mobilised the French and us too. We won't let go!"

He's here with 130 of his fellow firefighters from his region to express his anger at the French government.

"I listened to the president yesterday and he doesnt care about the people... for him the crowd has no legitimacy.

"We will put the maximum pressure, if we have to make blockages or other actions we will do it," he adds.  





 


 

Further scuffles between protesters and police are breaking out on the Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle in Paris where "the atmosphere has changed completely," a reporter for BFMTV on the scene says.

"It's very tense... We didn't expect it to get out of hand so quickly," she adds, before the line with the studio cuts.

The CGT union said 800,000 people have gathered in the capital - the highest number so far.

The interior ministry has not shared its estimate yet   



https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-65052649