THE ESSENTIAL
France had its third day of mobilization against the proposed "universal system" point retirement proposed by the government on Saturday. A call to the general strike which was accompanied by invitations to go to the pavement: in Paris and in several cities of France, processions sometimes reinforced by some yellow vests paraded in the calm, despite some tensions in Nantes. An inter-union has noted the success of the mobilization and therefore calls for strengthening the movement on Monday.
The information to remember:
- Many processions took to the streets in France (Marseille, Nantes, Chambéry ...) and mainly in Paris, where "yellow vests" also demonstrated
- The prefect of Paris has taken two decrees of maintenance of the order in anticipation of the day of mobilization envisaged Tuesday
- The main unions of railway workers called to amplify the mobilization after a concertation
Events in Paris ...
In Paris, the day was very difficult in terms of transport, with nine closed metro lines. Brief incidents occurred during a parade of "yellow vests" in the early afternoon in the Montparnasse district.
... And in the regions
A tense demonstration took place in Nantes, where clashes erupted with the police. "There are 2,800 people including 500 radicals of the ultra-left, and black blocks", and "it is these ultra who commit the violence," said the prefecture of Loire-Atlantique. "There were projectiles, rockets against the prefecture, two protesters tried to climb the wall" in front of the building, according to the same source.
In Marseille, 1,800 people gathered according to the police prefecture.
Tuesday's protest is getting ready
The Paris police chief, Didier Lallement, took Saturday two orders concerning the new day of national mobilization scheduled for Tuesday, one on the closing of businesses, the other on perimeter prohibitions.
Like last Thursday, the prefect has taken a decree obliging businesses and establishments located on the route - from Place Vauban (7th) to Place Denfer-Rochereau (14th) - to close the time of the event.
Railwaymen call to amplify the movement
The first three representative unions at SNCF, the CGT-Cheminots, the Unsa railway and SUD-Rail, called for boosting the mobilization at the end of an inter-union at the headquarters of the CGT in Montreuil. "We call for the continuation of the movement this weekend and the strengthening of the movement from Monday to fully materialize with the government that we want the withdrawal of its project by points," said Laurent Brun, secretary general of the the CGT-Cheminots, the first union of the SNCF.
Also at the end of this meeting of the three main railway federations, which lasted 2.5 hours, Erik Meyer, federal secretary of SUD-Rail (3rd at the SNCF), spoke of "a call to strike that extends". "The government needs to hear this social anger," he said.