In France, on May 1, Labor and Solidarity Day, those who oppose the reform, which includes extending the retirement age by 2 years, are holding demonstrations across the country.
With the call of the big unions of France, the 13th anti-reform mass protests started in many cities including the capital city Paris, Strasbourg, Marseille, Toulouse, Vannes, Rouen and Rennes.
A total of 12 thousand policemen, 5 thousand of which will be in Paris, will be on duty to ensure security in the demonstrations, which are expected to be attended by more than 1 million people across the country.
RATP, the agency responsible for public transport in and around Paris, closed many train and metro stations due to the demonstrations.
In addition, it is expected that there will be 25-33% disruption in air transportation due to strikes and demonstrations.
DRONE OBJECTION REJECTED
The Bordeaux Administrative Court also rejected the objection made against the use of drones by the police in demonstrations.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin had instructed police chiefs to use drones to gather intelligence at demonstrations.
“DON’T PROVE THE POLICES”
Speaking to French radio RTL, Paris Police Chief Laurent Nunez announced that they had heard that about 2,000 ultra-leftist militants would participate in the demonstrations.
Nunez stated that these people, some of whom come from outside, will carry out acts of violence, and said that no matter who they are, these people will face harsh intervention by the police.
Sophie Binet, Secretary General of the CGT, one of the largest unions in the country, called on the government not to provoke the police in the demonstrations.
In many previous demonstrations, it was claimed that right-wing extremists and plain-clothed policemen were involved in provocative actions by mixing with the demonstrators.
Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt told French BFMTV that he would send invitations to CGT representatives in the coming days to start talks with the government.
Mass demonstrations broke out in France on March 16, following the government’s decision to pass the bill, which includes raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, without voting.
Violence took place in many parts of the country between the police and the demonstrators, who responded harshly to the demonstrations.
More than 1,000 people have been detained in protests across the country since March 16.
The Constitutional Council, to which the opposition and the government applied to determine whether the reform was constitutional or not, approved the article of the draft law that increased the retirement age to 64, and rejected the 6 articles in whole or in part.
The bill was signed by French President Emmanuel Macron and published in the Official Gazette.