Over 1M French people march against Macron’s pension reform

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Over 1 million French people took to the streets across France to protest the pension reform announced by President Emmanuel Macron, local media reported on Thursday.

Citing the Interior Ministry, private broadcaster RTL France said some 1.1 million people, including nearly 120,000 in the capital Paris, participated in the demonstrations.

The ministry also announced that at least 123 police and gendarmes were injured and 80 people were arrested in demonstrations throughout the country.

Earlier, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), the organizer of Thursday's demonstrations, had claimed some 3.5 million demonstrated in multiple cities in the country.

CGT also called for new nationwide strikes in multiple sectors and demonstrations for Friday.

France's national human rights commission on Thursday expressed concern over police violence targeting the protesters.

Demonstrations have continued relentlessly in France since the government decided last week to bypass parliament and adopt a draft pension reform bill that would see the minimum retirement age rise by two years.

The French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) said in a statement that it was concerned by security forces' interventions in the protests, particularly those since March 16, when the measure was adopted.

The commission also said it notified the UN and Council of Europe's monitoring mechanisms, adding that numerous protesters have been arrested and placed into custody arbitrarily.

It also said that those arrested include two journalists who were placed in custody on March 17, a move denounced by journalist unions.

CNCDH President Jean-Marie Burguburu noted that in January 2020, the commission had warned of illegitimate police violence during the Yellow Vest demonstrations.

"I regret that three years later, the CNCDH must observe the same abusive and preoccupying schemes," Burguburu added. "Public authorities must remind the security forces of the legal framework of their intervention."