France Detains 540 People in May Day Demonstrations (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reported on Tuesday that the number of detained people at the May Day demonstrations against pension reform in France had risen to 540.
He stated, "Yesterday, all over France, there were more than 500 arrests, to be precise, 540 people were detained, of which 305 were detained in Paris," in an interview with a French TV broadcaster.
During a mass rally marking International Workers’ Day, Parisian police used tear gas as protesters clashed with officers, resulting in several injuries. Darmanin added that 406 police officers were injured during the riots at the demonstrations on May Day, with 259 of them sustaining injuries in Paris.
According to a Sputnik correspondent, during the riots, the police used tear gas and water cannons, while radical black bloc protesters threw stones and fired flares, Molotov cocktails, and improvised explosive devices. The CGT trade union reported that around 2.3 million people joined the May Day demonstrations, with 550,000 people taking to the streets of Paris. The Interior Ministry registered 700,000 protesters nationwide and 112,000 in the capital.
The pension reform bill was approved by the French Constitutional Council on April 14, with the key article gradually raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 years by 2030. The reform sparked a strong backlash, prompting people to take to the streets across the country. As many as 12 nationwide demonstrations against the reform have taken place, with several protests organized by unions attracting over 1 million supporters across France.
