Police confronted pension reform protests with tear gas as clashes erupted across several French cities, according to Le Figaro. The report notes that demonstrators and police exchanged confrontations, and in the ensuing turmoil, officers used tear gas to disperse crowds. At least one person was reported to have been arrested in the ensuing events. The unrest spilled onto surrounding streets after the square was cleared, with barricades built from rubble and boards appearing in multiple locations as fires flared up across the area [Le Figaro].
In Amiens, the protests continued this evening with police again deploying tear gas against demonstrators, part of a broader pattern observed during this wave of mobilization. The city reportedly drew between one thousand and fifteen hundred participants, aligning with other urban centers in what observers describe as a nationwide surge [Le Figaro].
The country experienced a fresh surge of demonstrations as supporters and opponents of the pension reform clashed with authorities. In Marseille, strikers and protesters set garbage containers alight or erected barriers before police moved to restore order, deploying gas against the crowds. Le Figaro adds that several storefronts were damaged or looted amid the unrest, highlighting the material impact on commercial districts in the city [Le Figaro].
The protests reasserted themselves across France following the government’s decision to proceed with changes to the pension regime. Critics argued that the reform, which raises the retirement age from 62 to 64, would alter long-standing social protections and labor norms. The government justified the move by citing economic pressures and the need to secure pension funding, presenting it as a necessary measure while facing persistent street demonstrations. The article emphasizes that parliamentary decisions were contested, with opposition groups alleging irregularities in procedure and urging lawmakers to reconsider the measure in light of broad public opposition [Le Figaro].
Across the affected regions, demonstrators expressed frustration through various forms of action, including street gatherings, marches, and the construction of improvised barricades. The police response in multiple cities combined crowd-control tactics with tear gas and dispersal operations intended to restore order, though the unrest continued to echo through both urban cores and peripheral neighborhoods. Observers note that the intensity and tempo of protests varied by city and moment, suggesting a nationwide pattern of mobilization that transcends local grievances and taps into broader debates over economic equity, retirement security, and public policy in France [Le Figaro].