PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday faced mounting pressure after violent demonstrations that injured over 400 security forces and the centre of main cities shrouded in smoke and tear gas.
Over 450 people were arrested on Thursday during the most violent day of protests since the beginning of the year against the government’s bid to raise the retirement age to 64.
French presidency statement
The French presidency said in a statement on Friday that King Charles III’s visit in the coming week had been postponed after another day of strikes and protests was declared by the union on Tuesday.
It said that given yesterday’s announcement of another day of protests against pension reforms on Tuesday, 28 March, the visit of King Charles III had been postponed.
Interior Minister Darmanin said there were several demonstrations, some of which took a violent turn, notably in Paris.
He said that over 900 fires were lit around Paris on Thursday.
Radical anarchist groups were accused of setting uncollected rubbish on fire and smashing shop windows, leading to clashes with riot police.
In southwestern Bordeaux, the angry protesters set ablaze at the entrance to city hall, briefly raising fears for the whole building structure until firefighters arrived to extinguish it.
