Arthur Pereira with AFP 8:03 p.m., May 01, 2022, modified at 8:09 p.m., May 01, 2022
Demonstrations took place for Labor Day in Paris on May 1.
The day was marked by a series of violence between thugs and police, damaged signs and street furniture.
But also by claims, mainly concerning issues related to retirement and health.
A rally was organized today at the call of many unions and associations to demand a more social and ecological policy in Paris.
The May Day demonstration in the capital was marred throughout the route by clashes between thugs and law enforcement, damage to street furniture, burning of garbage cans and the ransacking of dozens of bank signs, agencies real estate and insurance companies.
The themes of retirement or health were at the center of the demands of the demonstrators, with eclectic profiles, whom the editorial staff of Europe 1 questioned.
For Erwan, a 19-year-old environmental activist, Labor Day is a symbol.
"Allow us to give us a little hope, strength and to apprehend the future, the legislative elections and even the whole social and ecological battle of the five-year term to come with something stronger."
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Daniel was at the head of the procession, singing the Third International and waving his red CGT flag.
The public finance employee calls for more social justice.
“I am here to put pressure on May 1 for a general increase in salaries, and in particular that of civil servants,” he declared on our microphone.
Beauvau has counted 24,000 demonstrators who marched in Paris from 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The CGT, for its part, claimed 50,000 participants.
In the provinces, Beauvau announced 277 processions bringing together 92,500 people.
By way of comparison, in 2021, there were 90,000 in the provinces and 170,000 in Paris, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2019, there were 164,400 in the provinces and 280,000 in Paris.
Strong tensions between thugs and police
A firefighter, who was trying to put out a fire of pallets lit on the sidelines of the May 1st demonstration on Sunday in Paris, was attacked by a demonstrator, arousing the indignation of the authorities.
The woman was arrested and the firefighter was not injured, said Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin during a press briefing in the early evening.
According to television images, widely relayed on social networks, the firefighter was holding his water hose in the direction of the fire, rue Alexandre-Dumas, when a demonstrator came to jostle him to prevent him from extinguishing the fire before to strike him twice with his hand on his helmet.
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May 1 in Paris: Gérald Darmanin denounces "unacceptable violence" by "thugs"
"That's enough! Shame on the savagery, incomprehensible this new aggression vis-à-vis the firefighters of Paris in the exercise of their functions, to protect people, property of the City and the smooth running of the event", tweeted the Paris firefighters
© ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
"The Prefect of Police strongly condemns the scandalous attack suffered by the @PompiersParis of the @prefpolice who intervened on a fire at the corner of rue Alexandre-Dumas and boulevard Voltaire", reacted for its part the prefecture of police.
“One of our military colleagues from @PompiersParis has just been hit by a demonstrator, and preventing the rescue unit engaged from putting out the fire to protect residents and property. May he be spotted and punished,” said asked the president of the national federation of firefighters of France, Grégory Allione.