PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th March, 2023) A total of 169 people were detained across France during Saturday protests against the controversial pension reform, French media reported, citing information provided by the French Interior Ministry.
Out of 169 detentions across the entire country, 122 took place in Paris, according to the Ouest-France newspaper.
On Saturday, people started to gather to protest against the pension reform the Place d'Italie in Paris after the city prefecture had banned to hold a rally at the Place de la Concorde, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported. Later in the day, the police began dispersing crowds that gathered to protest the reform by using batons and tear gas.
On Thursday, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced that the government had adopted the law on raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 years by invoking Article 49.3 of the constitution, which allowed the bill to get passed without parliamentary approval. The decision sparked a strong backlash, prompting people to take to the streets across the country. On Thursday alone, over 300 people were detained during protests against the pension reform.
The protests continued through Friday and Saturday as thousands of people took to the streets of Paris in a spontaneous demonstration.
