Strikes and protests peaked on Thursday against pension changes planned to be implemented in France by the end of the year, paralyzing the transport, aviation and energy sectors.
Unions put the number of demonstrators across the country at 3.5 million, while the Interior Ministry put the number of people who took part in the demonstrations at about 1.08 million on the ninth day of mobilization against the pension reform.
Since this morning, demonstrations have been launched in many French cities, accompanied by comprehensive strikes in several sectors, including aviation, transport and fuel, as part of the wave of protests against the law amending the pension system.
The unions have dubbed today's rally "Black Thursday", in rejection of the law passed by the government without a parliamentary vote, and these demonstrations are organized amid a wide security mobilization, in which about 12,5 security personnel throughout France, including <>,<> policemen in the capital alone, participate to confront the protesters.
Paralysis in the country
Opponents of the government's plans blocked railway stations, roads and part of Paris' Charles de Gaulle International Airport, while the capital's police used tear gas against demonstrators and arrested scores of them.
Due to the decline in jet fuel supplies resulting from the strikes, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked airlines to cancel 30% of their scheduled flights today at Paris Orly airport and 20% of their flights at the rest of the airports.
In response to the call of the General Confederation of Labour union, protesters yesterday blocked the ports of Marseille (south) and Brest (west).
The railway company also said it would now be able to operate only half of its high-speed trains and a third of its trains on its regional lines.
Reply to Macron
Violence took place during today's demonstrations, with hundreds of protesters dressed in black smashing shop windows, AFP reported, in an apparent response to President Emmanuel Macron's warnings not to allow any violent action.
The CGT announced 800,<> people in Paris alone, and violence was quickly recorded, notably the throwing of stones and bottles and the firing of firecrackers at security forces, with facades and bus terminals smashed and garbage containers burned.
Police confronted protesters in the western city of Nantes with tear gas, and television footage showed police using water cannons in the city of Rennes, and in the west also in Lorient, the West France newspaper said projectiles briefly caused a fire in the courtyard of a police station.
In force
Strikes and protests have remained mostly peaceful for several weeks, but recent days have seen increased violence during spontaneous demonstrations.
Macron broke his silence on Wednesday, saying the reforms were necessary for public funding and that the law would come into force by the end of the year.
The French president sparked outrage when he compared protesters to those who stormed the U.S. Capitol in January 2021.
Opinion polls have long shown a majority of voters opposed extending the retirement age by two years to 64, and voter anger has grown after the government's decision last week to pass pension amendments in parliament without a vote and after comments Macron made on Wednesday.