Paris Protests Turn Violent as Anarchists, Police Clash: What Happened?

Police officers scattered on the streets fired tear gas amid intensifying Paris protests
Anarchists 'Block Bloc' destroy stores in violent protest against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform
Travelers to France have been warned to expect flight delays

Hundreds of demonstrators marched against President Emmanuel Macron's intention to increase the retirement age in Paris and around France on Thursday. Police fired tear gas and clashed with violent anarchists wearing black.

The ninth day of largely peaceful countrywide protests hampered rail and aviation traffic. Teachers were among the several professions that walked off the job in the days after the passage of legislation raising the retirement age by two years to 64.

Violence Flares Across France

The downtown Paris demonstrations were mainly peaceful, but gangs of "Black Bloc" anarchists shattered shop windows, destroyed street furniture, and plundered a McDonald's. Anarchists were pushed back by riot police using tear gas and stun grenades.

Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin stated that 172 persons were detained, and 149 police officers were injured nationwide. Per Reuters, scores of protestors were also hurt, including a lady in Rouen, Normandy, who lost a thumb.

Late into the night, small groups struggled with police in Paris, setting fires in the city center and playing cat-and-mouse with security forces. In numerous other towns, including Nantes and Lorient in the west, Lille in the north, and Rennes in the northwest, police deployed tear gas and water cannon on protestors.

The labor unions are concerned that protests might become more violent if the government fails to address the growing public outrage over pension cuts.

After the government pushed through its bill one week ago, the demonstrations have evolved from usual union-organized marches with carnival-like features to something more threatening.

Every night, spontaneous, "savage" demonstrations have erupted, as per NY Times. As a result of the continuous strike of garbage workers, groups assemble and march while pouring out and setting fire to the filthy bags and bins that line several streets.

The cops have increased their visibility. Monday, after a second meeting of Parliament failed to bring down the government, many protesters sneaked out of the allowed demonstration zone on Place Vauban, encircled by dozens of police vans and riot officers.

The filmmaker and author David Dufresne tracked one group for eight hours through live streaming. "It was like a game of cat and mouse," he added, as the group dispersed at the arrival of police and then used social media 15 minutes later to reassemble.

Dufresne stated that he got the impression he was experiencing a period in French revolutionary history comparable to the Paris Commune in 1871 or the time in 1789 when a similar gang assaulted the Bastille prison, liberated a few prisoners, and seized the gunpowder supply.

Currently, the demonstrators are younger, and many wear masks and helmets. Before authorities prohibited rallies in the Place de la Concorde on Saturday, demonstrators set fire to a massive wooden spool at the foot of the bridge leading to the National Assembly, taunting the phalanx of police in riot gear positioned shoulder to shoulder on the opposite side of the bridge. Behind them erupted a massive water cannon armed with armor.

A group of protestors grabbed cobblestones from a gaping sinkhole and tossed them at the riot police, who subsequently charged in batons at full speed.

Flights Affected by France Pension Reform Protests

Over the past several days, some protestors have noted that the earlier union marches, despite their size, were ineffective; the government approved the bill notwithstanding. They stated it was time for more aggressive acts, similar to those taken by the Yellow Vests four years ago when they destroyed the Arc de Triomphe.

The CGT union representing personnel at the National Furniture service, which is responsible for making and maintaining red carpets, among other goods, said on Wednesday that they would go on strike during the journey of the sovereign.

Nevertheless, a spokesperson for the National Furniture service told AFP that only 24 employees out of 420 were on strike on Thursday.

In addition to rioting, the anti-Macron demonstrations in France have resulted in around 10,000 tons of garbage accumulating on the streets of Paris due to the absence of garbage collectors.

The Roissy-Charles De Gaulle airport outside of Paris was affected by spontaneous labor action. A spokesperson for Paris Airports stated that protesters blocked Terminal 1 and vehicle access to other regions.

Images depicted dozens of flag-waving demonstrators congregated on the airport's main concourse. Across France, oil depots, municipal halls, ports, and other transportation routes were blocked.

Per Daily Mail, early projections from police departments around the nation indicated that the turnout might exceed large demonstrations before the bill's passage. According to the CGT union, around 800,000 people marched in the city.

Last week, the French administration exploited a constitutional clause to pass the pension package without parliamentary consent. Before becoming law, France's Constitutional Council must now approve the measure. On Monday, Macron's government survived two votes of no confidence in the lower house of Parliament.

The 45-year-old centrist president, who is in his second and last term, has often stated that he is confident France's retirement system must be reformed to remain solvent. Opponents presented other measures, such as increasing taxes on the affluent or corporations, which Macron argues would be detrimental to the economy.