‘Blood and fire’ in France: Battles on the streets of Paris as riot cops charge pension protesters

Anti-government rioters brought ‘fire and blood’ to the streets of France today – days after a state visit by King Charles was canceled due to the violence.

Up to a million people took part in the marches on Tuesday against President Emmanuel Macron who raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a parliamentary vote.

Those in cities like Paris and Nantes erupted in violence with gangs involved in clashes with police.

“Radicalized elements of the left and ultra-left want to hijack the trade union marches,” said Gerald Darmanin, France’s interior minister.

“Their aim is to bring fire and blood to France,” he added, saying 13,000 police and gendarmes had been mobilized, 5,500 of them in Paris alone.

Protests have intensified since the government used special constitutional powers almost two weeks ago to bypass parliament in a final vote on the pension bill.

The latest protests come days after a state visit by King Charles was canceled due to violence in Paris. Pictured: A protester throws a rock while standing between tear gas

Gerald Darmanin, France’s interior minister, said 13,000 police and gendarmes had been mobilized, 5,500 of them in Paris alone. Pictured: A demonstrator collides with an officer

They were supported by armored cars, water cannons and military units in reserve.

Dozens of fires were lit around Nation Square in Paris after an official march ended in mid-afternoon.

Paramilitary units responded with tear gas grenades and baton attacks, in an attempt to hold back a huge group.

The most feared group was the Black Bloc – an alliance of anarchists from all over Europe.

King Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, were supposed to be in Bordeaux today as part of a four-day state visit to France, but that was dramatically halted on Friday.

Attacks included an attempt to set fire to the city hall in the southwestern city, where unions had pledged to barrack the royal couple.

The protest movement is the biggest domestic crisis of Macron’s second term in office, with Tuesday’s strikes also hitting refineries, garbage collection services, rail transport, air travel and schools.

The Louvre in Paris was blocked by strikers, while strikes continued at petrol depots and waste incinerators, particularly around the capital, where 10,000 tons of rubbish still pile up.

Students held a banner in front of a raging fire today in the 10th day of nationwide strikes as unrest intensifies across the country

Protesters have taken to the streets en masse as President Macron faces major backlash over his pension reforms

Dozens of fires were lit around Nation Square in Paris after an official march ended in mid-afternoon

A banner held by a protester dressed as a Gaul read: ‘Macron declared war on the people’ after the president raised the retirement age without a parliamentary vote

The crisis has intensified as lawyers complain of excessive force and arbitrary arrests by paramilitary police teams.

A 30-year-old man was battling for his life in a coma on Tuesday after being repeatedly hit in the head with a police gun during a riot over the weekend.

Darmanin, for his part, said that “many police officers have been seriously injured” during the protests.

Despite the violence and industrial paralysis, Mr Macron and his prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, said there was no chance of a backslide on key pension reforms.

“We have to find the right way,” said Mrs. Borne. “We need to calm down.”

A protester jumps over a raging fire at a rally in Paris today as France battles an ongoing national strike against Macron’s pension reforms

Some protesters wore masks as Paris was set on fire in furious response to Macron trying to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64

A lone protester stands in front of French riot police as fireworks explode behind them at a rally attended by up to a million people

Thousands of protesters are marching through the streets of Paris this month. Public frustration has evolved into broader anti-Macron sentiment.

Millions of people have largely peacefully demonstrated and taken part in strike action since mid-January. Pictured: A riot police officer is hit by fireworks in Paris last week

But Laurent Berger, the head of the moderate union CFDT, said protests would continue until a turnaround came.

Millions of people have largely peacefully demonstrated and taken part in strike action since mid-January to show their opposition to Macron’s plans to give most of them an extra two years of work to age 64.

But public frustration has evolved into broader anti-Macron sentiment.

Protests have intensified since the government used special constitutional powers almost two weeks ago to bypass parliament in a final vote on the pension bill, sparking chaos reminiscent of unrest by supporters of the yellow vest movement during Macron’s first term as president.