French authorities faced a challenging situation on Thursday as protests against President Emmanuel Macron's proposed pension reform swept the country. More than a million demonstrators rallied across various cities, with some security sources labeling it an "insurrection" against the Parisian government.
The strikes involved tens of thousands of workers, leading to blockades in public transportation, schools, and oil refineries. In an attempt to disperse the protests, police resorted to using tear gas, water cannons, flash-bangs, and batons. Numerous videos circulating on social media showed the intensity of the clashes.
On Thursday evening, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin reported that nearly 150 police officers and gendarmes had been injured, terming it "absolutely unacceptable." He called for severe punishment for the attackers. Darmanin also stated that 172 people had been detained for questioning regarding the "looting and arson" incidents in Paris. In the French capital alone, there were 190 fires, with 50 still burning as of 10 pm local time. The interior minister attributed the worst of the violence to the "extreme left" and "black bloc" anarchists.
