« Popular tide » against the policy of Emmanuel Macron and his government

Social anger in the streets of France to denounce the policy of Emmanuel Macron.

Thousands of people marched Saturday in the streets of Paris and in the provinces with the hope of forming a « popular tide« against the policy of Emmanuel Macron. The French president warned in advance that « it will not stop him« .

The anti-Macron wanted to revive the protest against the government this Saturday, May 26, 2018, throughout France, tens of thousands of demonstrators found themselves for a « big popular tide« . The call for mobilization was launched in more than sixty cities, the organizers were about forty associations, unions and we saw the CGT parade alongside political parties for the first time in twenty years.

This « great party in Macron« , said Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has gathered 250,000 people in the country, including 80,000 in Paris, according to the CGT. The prefecture of police has counted 21,000 in Paris, 31,700 people, according to the count made by the firm Occurrence for a media collective, including RTL, France Bleu, Le Figaro … etc .. The demonstrators marched at the call of about sixty unions (CGT, Solidaires, South PTT, Unef …), political parties (France insubordinate, PCF, EELV, Generations, NPA …) and associations.

On May 5, the event called « party Macron« at the call of the unsubmissive deputy François Ruffin, had gathered 38,900 people in Paris, always according to Occurence.

The diversity of causes was reflected in the slogans sung by protesters – retirees, hospital staff, researchers, employees of Air France or Aéroports de Paris – gathered in the center of Paris, between Gare de l’Est and Bastille. « Macron, contemptuous of the Republic« , brocarded a PCF ciglée sign representing Emmanuel Macron as monarch. « May 1968, May 2018: 50 times more reasons to revolt« , posted stickers of Lutte ouvrière.

In a good-natured atmosphere, between 5000 (police) and 8000 people (organizers) marched in Toulouse under the bleating of the so-called sheep, around a giant octopus with the effigy of Emmanuel Macron, brandishing a label of « lazy« , « Cynical« , « railwayman,« « artist« , « precarious« , « caregiver« or « retired« . « He was a little Macron, he was a little Macron, who had never had any trouble …« , sang in Grenoble the procession of demonstrators (1900 according to the police). They were 2500 in Montpellier, 1500 in Strasbourg, 1200 in Lyon, according to the police.

In front of the government, « form this popular front that the people need,« urged Jean-Luc Mélenchon on the Old Port in Marseille, before scrolling. « Only count on you, there will be no supreme savior,« said the leader of the Insoumis and MP Bouches-du-Rhone, perched on a wooden crate. « It is necessary that the hard head of Emmanuel Macron hear this message of the popular people, as they say« . In the Phocaean city, where the differences in figures are still large, the police reported 4200 demonstrators. The CGT evoked a mobilization up with 65,000 demonstrators, against 58,000 on April 14 and 45,000 on May 22.

In Avignon (Vaucluse), there were several hundred. In Chambéry (Savoie), the procession was estimated at a thousand people. In Périgueux (Dordogne), 800 protesters took to the streets, as did Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) and Valence (Drôme). In Belfort, nearly 300 people responded to the call to the rally and they were about 200 in Mont-de-Marsan. « It‘s not a tide, it‘s a ripple,« said a disappointed Landes demonstrator.

For the number one Communist Pierre Laurent, parade in Paris, « the social anger is rising« in front of a power « that does not listen to anyone in a monarchical system« .

The CGT was very represented in the procession with its placards, balloons and red flags. She mobilized for « another social policy because the policy for the rich is enough!« According to Philippe Martinez, its secretary general.

39 people were arrested early and during the demonstration of Saturday, May 26 in Paris, on the sidelines of the parade against the policy of Emmanuel Macron to join the Place de la Bastille.

Dozens of people dressed in black, the « blacks blocks« , had to be dispersed by the police near the Place de la Bastille. They attacked storefronts, including that of a bank, and insulted the police they crossed. Throws of projectiles have also been observed. Interior Minister Gérard Collomb told BFMTV that « seven members of the police were slightly injured« .

According to the police headquarters, 39 people were arrested on the sidelines and during the demonstration, 26 of whom were placed in police custody, including for carrying arms, rebellion or participation in a grouping.