French government insists on the pension reform – protests continue
Protests and strikes continue in France. Once again, over 570 000 people according to the police and 2 million according to the unions, took to the streets on the 6th of April, as the government once again refused to back down from the pension reform. “A source close to Macron” told the media that it does not matter to the president and the government appointed by him that the majority is against the reform. “If the role of a president of the republic is to make decisions according to public opinion, there is no need to have elections,” the source said to the media. “Being president is to assume choices that may be unpopular at a given time.”
Clashes erupted, and protesters attacked banks and the police, which again was deployed to repress the protests with tear gas and batons. In Paris, 77 police officers were injured and 31 protesters arrested. The protesters torched the bistro La Rotonde, which is favored by Macron and hosted a celebratory dinner for him in 2017. Rodent catchers hurled dead rats at the City Hall. The office of the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, was invaded by around 100 protesters in Paris. The protesters demonstrated their anger against the company, which works for private pension funds and robs the workers’ salaries.
In Limoges and Rennes revolutionaries participated in large protests on Tuesday and Thursday.
In Rennes, dazibaos were also distributed in solidarity with the struggle against the Interoceanic Corridor [CIIT] in Mexico.
In Lyon, Ligue de la Jeunesse Révolutionnaire [League of Revolutionary Youth] distributed dazibaos at the university of Lyon 2, and participated in the blockade of the Lyon 3 University and in a protest on the 6th of April.
In Toulouse, Ligue de la Jeunesse Révolutionnaire participated to a protest on the 6th of April with revolutionary slogans, and to the blockade of Arènes high school.
Jeunes Révolutionnaires [Young Revolutionaries] participated in a protest and blockades in Guinkamp and in Le Havre on the 6th of April. In Caen, they participated in blockades of high schools and marched in the front row of the demonstration.
The People’s Women’s Committee distributed dazibaos in Villeurbanne.
In Saint-Etienne, a rally was held in front of the court to protest court proceedings of activists.
