Strike of June 6: 250 processions in France and few incidents, rather a street show

The inter-union called for a new day of action against the pension reform this Tuesday, June 6, 2023.

A few incidents took place on the sidelines of the parade. The police repelled disruptive elements on Boulevard Montparnasse, and businesses were degraded.

Today in Paris, the declared strike and demonstration was more of a festive street spectacle, although slogans were chanted and there were incidents of violence, there was singing and dancing.

The tourists who were present in the vicinity did not consider this as a demonstration against the pension system but rather as a spectacle of retirement celebration.

Participation at its lowest for the 14th day of mobilization

After 14 days of mobilization against the pension reform, for five months, “the match is coming to an end”, declared the secretary general of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, calling on the unions to “weigh in the balance of power at come” on other topics.

As the procession continues to continue on its way to reach the Place d’Italie from the Invalides, the first fires have been lit by groups of people. On one of them, they brought in a construction hut which was destroyed by the flames in a few minutes. Firefighters respond to the scene. At 5.30 p.m., the police headquarters announced 17 arrests.

In the provinces, the figures were also often at their lowest according to authorities and unions: 8,000 to 50,000 demonstrators in Toulouse, between 5,500 and 10,000 in Rennes, or even 5,000 to 10,000 in Grenoble. The inter-union announces 3,000 demonstrators in Chambéry, 2,000 according to law enforcement. In Annecy, the territorial intelligence has 1,100 people, when the organizers claim 2,000.

Apart from a few punchy actions – intrusion into the headquarters of the Olympic Games-2024 organizing committee, power cut in the Paris suburbs – the disruptions remained very limited, particularly in education with barely more than 5% of striking teachers according to the ministry.

The headquarters of Orange and the France Médias Monde group, which notably includes RFI radio and the France 24 news channel, have confirmed that they have been affected. The cuts also affected the headquarters of Microsoft France, the headquarters of Bouygues Immobilier, as well as the buildings of the Post Office and Sanef, which were evacuated.

According to the CGT, the demonstrations against the pension reform brought together “more than 900,000” demonstrators in France. In Paris, the union claims 300,000 demonstrators A figure down sharply compared to the 550,000 people present in the capital, still according to the union, during the last day of mobilization on May 1.

The prefecture meanwhile counted 31,000 protesters in Paris, while the interior ministry said 281,000 people had marched across the country. 28 arrests (including 14 prior to the demonstration). A policeman was injured by a stone throw.

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