CRS place de la Chapelle, in Paris, on January 17, 2020, while demonstrators gathered in front of the Bouffes du Nord theater, where Emmanuel Macron was. - Lucas BARIOULET / AFP

Tense atmosphere. On the 44th day of the strike against the pension reform, several dozen opponents of Emmanuel Macron demonstrated Friday evening in front of the Parisian Bouffes du Nord theater where the President of the Republic was attending a performance with his wife, journalists from AFP.

Cries of "all together, general strike", and "Macron resignation", the demonstrators faced for about an hour many police deployed outside this establishment in the 10th arrondissement, as shown in a video filmed by journalist Muriel Boselli.

Improvised demonstration Friday evening place de La Chapelle in #Paris against #Macron which is at the theater of #bouffesduNord #Retraites pic.twitter.com/Dmx1jtifTg

- Muriel Boselli (@MurielBoselli) January 17, 2020

According to the entourage of the head of state, there was an attempt to intrude into the theater but the presidential couple was able to attend to the end of the room and left the scene by car around 10 p.m. under police escort. The Paris Prefecture of Police confirmed that the demonstrators had failed to enter the establishment.

Activist journalist arrested

"We were at Paris 7 University for a popular university, someone received a message saying that Macron was there, so we came to show that we are present, that there is a protest against the reform of the but not only pensions, "said Arthur Knight, one of the protesters.

According to his entourage, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron were attending a performance of La mouche when the militant journalist Taha Bouhafs, seated three rows behind, published photos on social networks, which encouraged activists to come and disturb the show.

I am currently at the Bouffes du Nord theater (Metro La Chapelle)
3 rows behind the president of the republic.

Activists are somewhere around the corner and are calling on everyone to come back.

Something is brewing ... the evening may be hectic. pic.twitter.com/0mfwQPwdzr

- Taha Bouhafs (@T_Bouhafs) January 17, 2020

“The president will continue to go to theatrical performances as he is used to. He will take care to defend the freedom of creation, so that it is not disturbed by violent political actions, ”it was said from the same source. According to a judicial source, the militant journalist Taha Bouhafs was arrested and taken to the police station, without it being specified on Friday evening whether or not he had been placed in police custody, an arrest denounced by the rebellious Paris deputy Danièle Obono .

The same where we arrest a journalist (@T_Bouhafs) for having tweeted about the presence of the Contemptuous in the theater. Welcome to #Macronie #bouffesdunord # LibérezTaha #CoucouLREM pic.twitter.com/uUXKURxuRv https://t.co/jcIxCVWCFt

- MP Obono (@Deputee_Obono) January 17, 2020
  • Paris