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| Bordeaux town hall set on fire in France pension protests | Bordeaux town hall set on fire in France pension protests |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Watch: Bordeaux town hall in flames | Watch: Bordeaux town hall in flames |
| Watch: Bordeaux town hall in flames | Watch: Bordeaux town hall in flames |
| Bordeaux town hall has been set on fire as French protests continued over plans to raise the pension age. | Bordeaux town hall has been set on fire as French protests continued over plans to raise the pension age. |
| More than a million people took to the streets across France on Thursday, with 119,000 in Paris, according to figures from the interior ministry. | More than a million people took to the streets across France on Thursday, with 119,000 in Paris, according to figures from the interior ministry. |
| Police fired tear gas at protesters in the capital and 80 people were arrested across the country. | Police fired tear gas at protesters in the capital and 80 people were arrested across the country. |
| The demonstrations were sparked by legislation raising the retirement age by two years to 64. | The demonstrations were sparked by legislation raising the retirement age by two years to 64. |
| Fire engulfed the front door of the town hall in the southwest city of Bordeaux on Thursday evening after a day of protests and clashes. | Fire engulfed the front door of the town hall in the southwest city of Bordeaux on Thursday evening after a day of protests and clashes. |
| It was not clear who was responsible for the blaze, which was quickly put out by firefighters. | It was not clear who was responsible for the blaze, which was quickly put out by firefighters. |
| In Paris, generally peaceful demonstrations saw occasional police clashes with masked rioters who smashed shop windows, demolished street furniture and attacked a McDonald's restaurant, according to Reuters news agency. | In Paris, generally peaceful demonstrations saw occasional police clashes with masked rioters who smashed shop windows, demolished street furniture and attacked a McDonald's restaurant, according to Reuters news agency. |
| One police officer who lost consciousness was dragged to safety by fellow officers. | One police officer who lost consciousness was dragged to safety by fellow officers. |
| Police used tear gas and were pelted by objects and fireworks, AP news agency reported, with 33 people arrested in the capital. | Police used tear gas and were pelted by objects and fireworks, AP news agency reported, with 33 people arrested in the capital. |
| "I oppose this reform and I really oppose the fact that democracy no longer means anything," a demonstrator told Reuters. "We're not being represented, and so we're fed up." | "I oppose this reform and I really oppose the fact that democracy no longer means anything," a demonstrator told Reuters. "We're not being represented, and so we're fed up." |
| "It is by protesting that we will be able to make ourselves heard because all the other ways... have not allowed us to withdraw this reform," another told AFP news agency. | "It is by protesting that we will be able to make ourselves heard because all the other ways... have not allowed us to withdraw this reform," another told AFP news agency. |
| The protests also disrupted train travel, oil refineries and saw teachers and workers at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport walk out of work. | The protests also disrupted train travel, oil refineries and saw teachers and workers at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport walk out of work. |
| In the northern city of Rouen a young woman was seen lying on the ground after sustaining a serious injury to her hand. Witnesses said she lost her thumb after she was hit by a so-called "flash-ball" grenade fired by police to disperse demonstrators. | In the northern city of Rouen a young woman was seen lying on the ground after sustaining a serious injury to her hand. Witnesses said she lost her thumb after she was hit by a so-called "flash-ball" grenade fired by police to disperse demonstrators. |
| There were other clashes in the western cities of Nantes, Rennes and Lorient. | There were other clashes in the western cities of Nantes, Rennes and Lorient. |
| "The street has a legitimacy in France," said a protester in Nantes. "If Mr Macron can't remember this historic reality, I don't know what he is doing here". | "The street has a legitimacy in France," said a protester in Nantes. "If Mr Macron can't remember this historic reality, I don't know what he is doing here". |
| Since January, there have been nine days of protest and French unions have called for a tenth next Tuesday. This would involve further strikes and coincide with the last full day of King Charles III's state visit to the country. | Since January, there have been nine days of protest and French unions have called for a tenth next Tuesday. This would involve further strikes and coincide with the last full day of King Charles III's state visit to the country. |
| Parisian garbage collectors, who started their strike against the pension reform on 6 March, have renewed it until next Monday. | Parisian garbage collectors, who started their strike against the pension reform on 6 March, have renewed it until next Monday. |
| The unrest follows the government's decision to force the legislation to raise the pension age through the lower house of parliament - where it lacks an absolute majority - without a vote. | The unrest follows the government's decision to force the legislation to raise the pension age through the lower house of parliament - where it lacks an absolute majority - without a vote. |
| French President Emmanuel Macron defended the move, saying the reform is a necessity. | French President Emmanuel Macron defended the move, saying the reform is a necessity. |
| France's prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, has said the changes are essential to prevent a major deficit in the system in the future. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| France | France |
| Emmanuel Macron | Emmanuel Macron |