Tax billionaires more, drop pension reform: French protesters storm LVMH headquarters
Protests at LVMH
Protesters in Paris stormed the headquarters of luxury goods company LVMH on Thursday, demanding that instead of making people work for two extra years, the government should starttaxing the rich more. On the 12th day of nationwide protests against the pension reforms, striking workers once again disrupted garbage collection in Paris. They also blocked river traffic on part of the Rhine River in eastern France. Thursday's protests are the final day of demonstrations before a crucial court decision on the legislation. Violent clashes were reported between police and protesters in western France.
"You're looking for money to finance pensions? Take it from the pockets of billionaires," said Sud Rail union leader Fabien Villedieu.
Protesters at the LVMH headquarters held flares that filled the building with red smoke before leaving peacefully.
On Friday, France's Constitutional Council, the country's highest administrative authority, is set to announce its verdict on the pensions legislation which will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. Protesters gathered at the Constitutional Council's headquarters, just opposite the Louvre Museum, in Paris. Anti-riot police in full body armour brandishing shields stood at the scene for security reasons.
Also Read |Explained:What exactly is being decided by Constitutional Council
Around 400,000 to 600,000 people are expected to take part nationwide in the protests on Thursday. This is much less than the nearly 1.3 million who demonstrated in March at the height of the protests against the reforms.
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If the Council approves the legislation, even if with caveats, the government will be entitled to promulgate the law. It is hopingthat the protests will finally stop once the decision is delivered.
But protesters say they plan to keep up the fight if the Council gave a green light.
"We don't want to work until 64," 50-year-old teacher Kathy Brochard said at the Paris rally.
Protesters want the bill withdrawn - or subjected to a referendum.
"We still hope that, at some point, someone in high places will decide to abandon this law, sit around a table and look at pension funding differently," 52-year-old postal service worker Francis Bourget said at the Paris rally.
President Emmanuel Macron and his government argue the new law is needed to ensure that France's generous pension system does not go bust.
(With inputs from agencies)
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