Violence grows as strike continues
Source: Agencies |
October 21, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WORKERS opposed to a higher retirement age blocked roads to airports around France yesterday, leaving passengers in Paris dragging suitcases on foot along an emergency breakdown lane.
Outside the capital, hooded youths smashed store windows amid clouds of tear gas.
Riot police in black body armor forced striking workers away from blocked fuel depots in western France, restoring gasoline to areas where pumps were dry after weeks of protests over the government proposal raising the age from 60 to 62.
Riot officers in the Paris suburb of Nanterre and the southeastern city of Lyon sprayed tear gas but appeared unable to stop the violence.
After months of largely peaceful disruptions, some protests erupted into violence this week over the government's push to raise the retirement age. President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed that his conservative party would pass the reform in a Senate vote expected today.
Many workers feel the change would be a first step in eroding France's social benefits in favor of "American-style capitalism."
Sarkozy ordered all fuel depots forcibly reopened and vowed yesterday that he would "carry the retirement reform through to the end." And despite France's tolerance for a long tradition of strikes and protest, official patience appeared to be waning after weeks of actions that have seen snarled traffic, canceled flights, dwindling gasoline supplies and rising urban violence.
Protesters waving red union flags temporarily blocked the main road leading to one of two terminals at Orly Airport yesterday. The airport authority warned on its website of "serious difficulties expected in access to airports."
The protests disrupted traffic to the airport and some passengers walked hundreds of meters along an emergency lane to get there. In one terminal, screens showed that 10 of 52 flights yesterday afternoon were canceled.
"It's Baghdad here," said Lionel Philippe, who arrived at Orly after much difficulty - only to find his flight to Biarritz canceled.
With nearly a third of France's gas stations dry, authorities stepped in to force open three fuel depots blocked by striking workers for days, Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said.
At one site in the western town of Donges, police formed a corridor along the road leading to the depot to allow trucks through. Hortefeux warned rioters that "the right to protest is not the right to break things, the right to set things on fire, the right to assault, the right to pillage."
Over the past week, 1,423 people have been detained for protest-related violence and 62 police officers injured, he said.
In Nanterre yesterday morning, about 100 youths ran through the streets, smashing store windows and throwing stones. Some store owners lowered metal blinds to avoid looting.
In the city of Lyon, new clashes broke out yesterday morning, with rioters running in small groups down different streets, throwing projectiles and setting off flares.
Students plan new protests today, with a demonstration in Paris scheduled hours before the Senate is expected to approve the retirement measure.
Outside the capital, hooded youths smashed store windows amid clouds of tear gas.
Riot police in black body armor forced striking workers away from blocked fuel depots in western France, restoring gasoline to areas where pumps were dry after weeks of protests over the government proposal raising the age from 60 to 62.
Riot officers in the Paris suburb of Nanterre and the southeastern city of Lyon sprayed tear gas but appeared unable to stop the violence.
After months of largely peaceful disruptions, some protests erupted into violence this week over the government's push to raise the retirement age. President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed that his conservative party would pass the reform in a Senate vote expected today.
Many workers feel the change would be a first step in eroding France's social benefits in favor of "American-style capitalism."
Sarkozy ordered all fuel depots forcibly reopened and vowed yesterday that he would "carry the retirement reform through to the end." And despite France's tolerance for a long tradition of strikes and protest, official patience appeared to be waning after weeks of actions that have seen snarled traffic, canceled flights, dwindling gasoline supplies and rising urban violence.
Protesters waving red union flags temporarily blocked the main road leading to one of two terminals at Orly Airport yesterday. The airport authority warned on its website of "serious difficulties expected in access to airports."
The protests disrupted traffic to the airport and some passengers walked hundreds of meters along an emergency lane to get there. In one terminal, screens showed that 10 of 52 flights yesterday afternoon were canceled.
"It's Baghdad here," said Lionel Philippe, who arrived at Orly after much difficulty - only to find his flight to Biarritz canceled.
With nearly a third of France's gas stations dry, authorities stepped in to force open three fuel depots blocked by striking workers for days, Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said.
At one site in the western town of Donges, police formed a corridor along the road leading to the depot to allow trucks through. Hortefeux warned rioters that "the right to protest is not the right to break things, the right to set things on fire, the right to assault, the right to pillage."
Over the past week, 1,423 people have been detained for protest-related violence and 62 police officers injured, he said.
In Nanterre yesterday morning, about 100 youths ran through the streets, smashing store windows and throwing stones. Some store owners lowered metal blinds to avoid looting.
In the city of Lyon, new clashes broke out yesterday morning, with rioters running in small groups down different streets, throwing projectiles and setting off flares.
Students plan new protests today, with a demonstration in Paris scheduled hours before the Senate is expected to approve the retirement measure.
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