Europe 1 and AFP 19:28 p.m., March 21, 2023

According to information from Europe1, Parisian intelligence expects the presence of 40,000 to 70,000 demonstrators Thursday in the capital Thursday, on the occasion of the ninth day of mobilization against the pension reform. In addition, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that "12,000 police and gendarmes" would be mobilized Thursday in France, including "5,000 in Paris"

The intelligence directorate of the Paris police prefecture expects the presence of 40,000 to 70,000 demonstrators Thursday in the capital, according to information from Europe 1. The intelligence also predicts the presence of 400 to 600 Yellow Vests as well as 400 to 600 radical elements. At the same time, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced Tuesday that "12,000 police and gendarmes" would be mobilized Thursday in France including "5,000 in Paris" for the new day of inter-union action against the disputed pension reform.

300 police and gendarmes injured since protests began

Coming to give his "support" to the members of the security forces, the Minister of the Interior called on them "not to respond to the provocations of the far left" which, according to him, seeks "to destabilize the State by attacking the security workers". "Do not fall into this provocation," he insisted. Since protests against the pension reform two months ago, "more than 300 police and gendarmes have been injured," he said. He mentioned the case of two seriously injured, one, the same day in Fos-sur-Mer, who had a fracture of the malleolus and the other, injured in the jaw. He did not give any indication of the place or date of the injured man.

Regarding the criticism against the detention of demonstrators that would be "arbitrary", according to lawyers, magistrates and politicians, Gérald Darmanin argued that these police custody are always decided "under the authority of the prosecutor's office". Since Thursday, date of the recourse to 49-3 by the government for the adoption of the pension reform, the minister said that there had been "855 arrests in France including 729 in Paris for 843 police custody" and "always under the authority of the prosecutor's office". "Yes to the freedom to demonstrate, no to disorder, to the border," warned Gérald Darmanin, denouncing the wild gatherings of recent days.