Hundreds injured as French protests turn ugly

Pension reform row shows no sign of easing

More than 400 police officers were injured and 540 people were arrested across France on Monday after May Day demonstrations against the country's pension reform legislation degenerated into violence.

May Day is a traditional day of political protest, but the current stand-off over President Emmanuel Macron forcing through his plans to raise the country's retirement age from 62 to 64 ensured this year's turnout was bigger than usual, and more angry.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said that across the country 406 police officers were injured, 305 of them in Paris, including one burnt by a petrol bomb, and another knocked unconscious by a paving slab. There was also violence in the cities of Lyon and Nantes. In addition to the injuries, there were 540 arrests, 305 of them in Paris.

"The vast majority of protesters were peaceful, but in Paris, Lyon and Nantes notably, police officers came up against extremely violent rioters who had one objective: kill a police officer and to attack the property of others," he said.

Some protesters used the march as an opportunity to vandalism, with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne calling the scenes "unacceptable", and tweeting "In many cities in France, this May Day was a moment for responsible mobilization and commitment. The scenes of violence on the sidelines of the demonstrations are all the more unacceptable."

Water cannon and rubber bullets were deployed by police in Paris, while tear gas was used in Rennes, Nantes and Toulouse.

Government figures put the turnout at around 782,000 people, which would have made it the largest May Day demonstration since 2002, but the Confédération Générale du Travail union claimed the number was 2.3 million.

"The page is not going to be turned as long as there is no withdrawal of this pension reform," said CGT chief Sophie Binet, who attended the Paris protest. "The determination to win is intact."

In April, Macron used a statutory instrument to force the pension reform through parliament, in the face of significant political and even greater public opposition, which fueled Monday's demonstrations, and show no sign of abating.

"The law has been passed but has not been accepted, there is a desire to show discontent peacefully to have a reaction in response that shows a certain level of decency," said Celine Bertoni, an academic protesting in the central city of Clermont-Ferrand.

Macron insists reform of France's complicated and generous pension system is vital to ensure the future economic stability of the country.

He has promised more talks before the reforms come into effect, which is likely to be in the fall, but unions remain defiant, so it is unclear where any change will come from.

François Bayrou, a member of parliament whose Mouvement Démocrate party is linked to Macron's parliamentary group, said the public were angry at decisions having been taken without being explained.

"I don't think it's specific to France, but public opinion and French people no longer tolerate decisions being made far away from them without being informed of the reason for those decisions," he said.