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Thousands march against pension reform in Paris amid fresh protests

On Saturday, protesters marching against the French government’s planned pension reform clashed with the police as they fired tear gas to disperse some groups of demonstrators.

Thousands march against pension reform in Paris amid fresh protests

Representational image (Photo: IStock)

Fresh violence broke out in Paris after French ‘yellow vest’ protesters gathered on the 24th day of the nationwide multi-sector strike.

On Saturday, protesters marching against the French government’s planned pension reform clashed with the police as they fired tear gas to disperse some groups of demonstrators.

Earlier in the month, thousands of protesters torched cars and pelted police with stones and bottles and police fired tear gas and water cannon as rallies to mark the first anniversary of the anti-government “yellow vest” demonstrations erupted into violence.

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In other cities, yellow vest demonstrations were largely peaceful, with 1,000 people marching in Marseille in southern France.

In November, tens of thousands of people took to streets of Paris and other French cities to protest against domestic violence, after more than 130 women are believed to have been killed by their partner or ex-partner in France this year.

The march, which covered the main avenues in Paris, also had the support of most national unions and leftist parties, with famous faces, such as actresses Léa Drucker and Julie Gayet, and Vincent Trintignant the brother of actress Marie Trintignant who was beaten to death by her partner in 2003.

The crisis forced President Emmanuel Macron to make policy concessions and delay the next wave of reforms, including overhauling the pension and unemployment systems.

The yellow vest protests, named for the high-visibility jackets worn by demonstrators, erupted in November 2018 over fuel price hikes and the high cost of living. The demonstrations spiralled into a broader movement against President Emmanuel Macron and his economic reforms.

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