According to the CGT union, 500,000 people came together in Paris alone, and 2.5 million nationwide. The Interior Ministry spoke of 963,000 demonstrators across France, including 93,000 in Paris.
The market research institute Occurrence, commissioned by the AFP news agency and other media, put the number of demonstrators in Paris at 110,000. This means that more people took part in the protests than on the third day of protests last Tuesday.
Numerous employees who shy away from the financial loss of a strike took the opportunity to demonstrate on a Saturday.
Riots and spontaneous strikes in public transport P
Around ten thousand security forces were deployed across the country, 4,500 of them in the capital. There were a few incidents in the afternoon. Among other things, a vehicle was overturned and set on fire, and a police officer had to be taken to the hospital after a projectile hit him in the eye. The police reported a total of ten arrests.
Further clashes between demonstrators and the security forces were reported from Rennes in the west of the country. According to their own statements, the police arrested 22 people there.
Since public transport employees had not been called to strike, all trains and the Paris subways ran. On the other hand, every second flight at Orly Airport was canceled due to an unannounced air traffic controller strike.
Working age is to be raised from 62 to 64
The French government wants to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030. The bill is currently being debated in a heated atmosphere in the National Assembly.
According to the authorities, between 757,000 and 1.27 million people had taken part in the three previous days of protest, the unions spoke of more than two million participants. The unions have called for further protests next Thursday and March 7th. (afp)
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