After French President Emmanuel Macron's television interview on Wednesday, the wave of French protests against the reform of the retirement system has become more violent. According to Agence France-Presse on the 24th, King Charles III, who was scheduled to leave for France this Sunday, will postpone his visit, and Macron said on the 24th that the itinerary may be adjusted to early summer. Reuters commented that the postponement of the planned visit would be a "huge embarrassment" for Macron. In his original vision, Charles III's visit would mark a symbolic step towards resolving the bad relations between the two countries after Brexit.
According to reports, the trip to France was supposed to be Charles III's first trip abroad since he took the throne, but next week's visit to Germany will continue as planned. A British government spokesman said: "The decision was made by the consent of all parties after the French president asked the British government to postpone the planned visit. Buckingham Palace said the king and queen were "very much looking forward to visiting France as soon as the date is set".
According to a report by Agence France-Presse on the 24th, French Ministry of the Interior Darmanin said in an interview on the same day that a total of 23 people were arrested and 457 security personnel were injured in the protests that swept the country on the 441rd. "There have been numerous demonstrations across the country, some of which have turned violent, especially in Paris". French police believe that many anarchists mixed in with the crowd of protesters in Paris, and these violent elements not only burned garbage cans but also smashed street shop windows during the demonstration. During the most violent protest day since January, 1 fires were set on fire in the streets of Paris.
Violence has spread from the capital, Paris, to the provinces. In Bordeaux, a wine-producing region in southwestern France, there were also clashes between protesters and police, and the gates of the town hall were also set on fire. Paris and Bordeaux, on the other hand, were precisely on the route that King Charles III of England had planned to visit France. Before the news of the postponement of the visit came out, the French trade union group that called for the general strike even said that "the red carpet welcoming the British king would not be covered." Ricketts, former British ambassador to France, commented on the 24th that postponing the visit was a "difficult but understandable decision." "A state visit is a time for celebration, now is not the time." He wrote on Twitter.