Gatherings sometimes bringing together several hundred people took place Monday evening all over France to protest against Emmanuel Macron, a year after his re-election, demonstrators going in particular to the Gare de Lyon in Paris to boo the Minister of Education Pap Ndiaye.
In the capital, several hundred opponents of the head of state gathered in the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville at 8:00 p.m., according to an AFP journalist. They unsheathed pans, lids and metal cake molds for a cacophonous concert, punctuated by “Macron resignation” and other protest songs.
For Pierre Noël, 28, the “pans” are “symbolic”: “there are plenty of pans in the government”, points out this developer, trade unionist Solidaires Informatique.
A large part of the demonstrators then headed for the Gare de Lyon with the aim of welcoming the Minister of National Education Pap Ndiaye back from a trip to the capital of Gaul.
Composed mainly of young people, the crowd sang anti-fascist and anti-Macron songs in the main hall of the station facing a cordon of police. The minister was able to leave the station without passing in front of the demonstrators.
The demonstrators then rushed into a wild demonstration, walking quickly through the streets of the east of the capital, overturning garbage cans and bicycles and sometimes setting them on fire.
In a game of cat-and-mouse, law enforcement went after groups of protesters.
In Rennes, several hundred people also gathered to protest, improvising a concert of saucepans before strolling through the city center.
“I am not demonstrating for myself but for future generations (…) because when I see how I have taken advantage of retirement, I wish them the same”, testified to AFP, Bernard, 69, retired telecoms.
In Nantes, around 500 people demonstrated in the city center to the sound of pots, according to AFP journalists. Gathered in front of the Nantes prefecture, they then rushed towards the course of the 50 hostages, the main artery of the city center of Nantes.
Saucepans and their lids, tin cans, raclette pans and bass drums, several hundred demonstrators, 500 according to the prefecture, also gathered in front of Lyon City Hall to make themselves heard against the pension reform before leaving in procession.
In Marseille, a few hundred people gathered in front of the Town Hall. Many retirees were among them, noted AFP journalists.
The rally in Bordeaux brought together around 200 people in front of City Hall.
The Attac association behind the calls for rallies has claimed more than 400 actions throughout France.
In recent days, the trips of several ministers have been disrupted by concerts of saucepans in protest against the pension reform.
04/24/2023 22:56:46 – Paris (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
