France Burns As Million Protesters Rage Against Pension Reforms
France is engulfed in turmoil following President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial decision to raise the retirement age. Over a million people participated in nationwide protests on Thursday, transforming urban areas into scenes of chaos. These demonstrations, the largest in years, have triggered fuel shortages, hundreds of arrests, and even claims of “civil war.”
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told French media outlet CNews on Friday morning that more than 900 fires were reported in the streets of Paris on Thursday night — in one of the most violent days of protests in a while.
“There were a lot of demonstrations and some of them turned violent, notably in Paris,” Darmanin said. He said more than a million people marched yesterday.
Police warned anarchist groups were infiltrating marches across Paris and other demonstrations. Men wearing hoods and facemasks were seen smashing windows and setting fire to trash piles and, in some cases, burning buildings.
Chaos on the streets of Paris
France 🇨🇵 on 🔥🔥🔥
— Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) March 23, 2023
JUST IN: Protests in France are NOT LETTING UP, videos from Paris emerge showing what looks like a war zone..
WHY IS THE MEDIA HIDING CIVIL UNREST?
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) March 23, 2023
JUST IN: Paris is being overrun by protestors..
Are we witnessing the beginning of a revolution?
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) March 23, 2023
🚨🇫🇷URGENT – La mairie de #Bordeaux prend feu. pic.twitter.com/OUbsiZ4Iu7
— AlertesInfos (@AlertesInfos) March 23, 2023
Architectural beauty coupled with social unrest in one powerful picture!
Victory to the workers 🇫🇷#France #Protests #Paris pic.twitter.com/ncM9dCpztw
— The Auld Reekie Group Ltd (@ARSC_Edinburgh) March 23, 2023
Violent crackdown on protesters in France – imagine the media coverage if this happened in a country we are told to hate pic.twitter.com/RJ9Jg7FP85
— Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) March 24, 2023
The level of police brutality in France is beyond shame. Why is western media silent on this?
French police violently beat up protesters.pic.twitter.com/oNcnT9Hb2g
— Hassan Mafi (@thatdayin1992) March 24, 2023
Darmanin said 457 people were arrested last night, and 441 security forces were injured. He praised the police for their brave actions.
#UPDATE A total of 457 people were arrested and 441 security forces injured on Thursday during nationwide protests across France against President Emmanuel Macron’s pensions reform, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin says ➡️ https://t.co/MvoQGpNlbc pic.twitter.com/ENWiNtde6N
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 24, 2023
Meanwhile, the demonstrations and violence have caused a significant fuel shortage, impacting gas stations nationwide. Other disruptions have been reported due to widespread strikes across many sectors of the economy, such as garbage piling up in the streets of Paris because trash collectors are protesting pension reforms.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused Macron of sparking conditions for a “social explosion.”
“Consciously, the government is creating all the conditions for a social explosion, as if they were looking for that,” she told AFP.
Le Pen’s sentiment was shared with the Wall Street Silver Twitter account, which asked, “is France is on the brink of civil war?”
Recall earlier this week. We penned a note asking if “European Spring” had arrived.
France is so dangerous right now that even King Charles III of Britain postponed his visit.
And let’s not forget that massive protests are scheduled for Germany early next week.
This all comes as a banking crisis spreads across the Western world.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 03/24/2023 – 09:15
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