Angry demonstrations and protests continued in France on Thursday as President Emmanuel Macron visited another region of the country with the intent to come face-to-face with the people following the pension reform. Macron visited a school in a village in southern France where the police used teargas on angry protesters. On Wednesday, Macron was booed and heckled by the public in eastern Alsace as he undertook his first trip outside Paris ever since the signing of the unpopular reform.
The 45-year-old travelled to the southern Herault region on Thursday to discuss education.
Demonstrations were reported from other parts of the country as well with union members entering the headquarters of the pan-European stock exchange Euronext in the main Paris business district. The group of a few hundred protesters occupied Euronext’s lobby, engulfed in red smoke from flares. “We are here, we are here, even if Macron does not want it we are here,” they chanted
Last Thursday, demonstrators forced their way into the headquarters of the LVMH luxury goods empire demanding that the rich be taxed more instead of raising the retirement age.
As Macron reached the school, people greeted him with chants of “Macron, resign!” and blew whistles as they tried to advance towards the school.
In order to control the noise, local authorities also announced a ban on “portable sound equipment”, specifically to target amplifiers and speakers.
AFP reported that protesters were also prevented from entering the secure area close to the school with pans as well as local flutes, known as “fifres”.
Macron is taking trips outside Paris to connect with the voters and turn the page on his unpopular pension changes. The people of the country have been especially enraged with the way the legislation was passed.
At the school, Macron spoke about his desire to “acknowledge and pay teachers better”. He announced that the teachers would receive between 100-230 euros ($110-250) more a month after tax from September.
On Wednesday, angry French accused Macron of having a “corrupt government on a scale we have never seen before”, before adding “You will fall soon, you’ll see”. Dozens of protesters banged kitchenware ahead of his arrival in the village of Muttersholtz. Police had to intervene and push back the crowds.
Macron told the people that raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 was necessary to help France reduce its public spending and bring the country into line with its European neighbours.
Pot bashing has a long history in France and has been often used as a form of protest. People took to it once again as Macron addressed the nation on Monday evening after signing the bill into law over the weekend.
Macron acknowledged that “this anger had to be heard”, while also condemning the pot-banging. “This anger has to be heard and I am not deaf to it,” he said. “This anger is being expressed, and I didn’t expect anything else, but it won’t stop me from continuing to make trips,” he said.
“It’s not saucepans that will enable France to move forward,” Macron said at a village during his visit.
“The reality across the country is not just those making noise with pans or grumbling.”
“You will always see me with people… I have to keep going,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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