Tuesday, October 22

Paris protests: Demonstrators descend on Euronext places of work and name on President Macron to resign over reforms

Hundreds of protesters in France briefly entered the places of work of a inventory market operator on Thursday as protests towards President Macron’s pension reform continued.

Between 200 and 300 demonstrators, waving flags and carrying flares, occupied Euronext, chanting: “We are here, we are here, even if Macron does not want it we are here”.

It’s a slogan which has change into in style as big crowds have gathered in generally violent protests and strikes that erupted in January.

Demonstrators holding flares inside the Euronext Paris building in protest to the pension reforms Pic:AP
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Demonstrators holding flares on the Euronext Paris constructing in protest to the pension reforms. Pic:AP

They additionally known as on Mr Macron to resign, one other acquainted demand.

The foyer of the agency, positioned in La Defense, Paris’ enterprise district, was stuffed with crimson smoke from demonstrators’ flares.

It shouldn’t be clear how lengthy the protesters stayed within the places of work.

Elsewhere within the French capital, picket pallets had been set alight as placing rail employees held a peaceable demonstration on the Gare de Lyon railway station, as a part of what was billed as a “day of expression of railway anger”.

Protesters within the northern metropolis of Lille walked alongside the railway line, blocking all practice site visitors for about one hour earlier than leaving peacefully.

Several unions joined a strike on the nationwide railway firm SNCF, barely disrupting practice site visitors on Thursday.

Some regional traces and Paris suburban trains had been affected, whereas high-speed trains had been operating virtually as regular, the SNCF stated.

French SNCF railway workers on strike, holding red flares and CGT and Sud Rail labour unions flags, gather in front of the headquarters of stock market operator Euronext at La Defense business and financial district as part of a "day of expression of railway anger" following months of strikes and a failed attempt to halt pension reforms, in Courbevoie near Paris, France, April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Striking French railway employees collect in entrance of the headquarters of inventory market operator Euronext

Mr Macron signed a invoice elevating the state pension age from 62 to 64 on the weekend, a extensively unpopular transfer in a rustic that cherishes its retirement years.

Fabien Villedieu, a unionist with rail operator, Sud-Rail, stated: “We are told that there is no money to finance pensions.”

French SNCF railway workers on strike, holding red flares, gather in front of the headquarters of stock market operator Euronext at La Defense business and financial district as part of a "day of expression of railway anger" following months of strikes and a failed attempt to halt pension reforms, in Courbevoie near Paris, France, April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Demonstrators chanted for Emmanuel Macron to resign. Pic: AP

[But there is] “no need to get the money from the pockets of workers, there is some in the pockets of billionaires,” he stated.

Earlier this month, comparable scenes occurred at Blackrock’s Paris places of work.

French SNCF railway workers on strike, holding French CGT and Sud Rail labour unions, gather near burning wooden pallets at Gare de Lyon train station as part of a "day of expression of railway anger" following months of strikes and a failed attempt to halt pension reforms, in Paris, France, April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Striking rail employees held a peaceable demonstration at Gare de Lyon practice station. Pic: AP

The president himself was heckled as he visited a college within the southern French city of Ganges, his second public outing since signing the invoice into regulation.

Protesters held a number of hundred metres away by police additionally chanted towards the pension reform.

French SNCF railway workers on strike, holding flags of French CGT and Sud Rail labour unions, enter the headquarters of stock market operator Euronext at La Defense business and financial district as part of a "day of expression of railway anger" following months of strikes and a failed attempt to halt pension reforms, in Courbevoie near Paris, France, April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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The elevating of the state pension age is extensively disliked

Opinion polls present a overwhelming majority of voters oppose the pension reform, however Mr Macron shrugged off the protests.

He was pictured smiling and taking selfies as he informed a bunch of scholars, dad and mom and academics “there is a bit of everything. There are people who are happy, and people who are not happy.”

Content Source: information.sky.com