Massive crowds of protesters took to the streets of Paris on Sunday to voice discontent over the rising cost of living. It comes as the country’s largest trade union continues a refinery strike that has closed gas stations across France.
The protest was organized by Jean-Luc Melenchon, a former presidential candidate and leader of the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI) party.
A number of other leftist parties and organizations also participated, with some calling on President Emmanuel Macron to take stronger action against climate change.
However, economic concerns are first and foremost on the minds of protesters. It’s not the march of Mr. Melenchon, the LFI leader told France 3 TV on Sunday morning. It’s a march of the people who are hungry, who are cold and need to be better paid.
The rise in prices is unbearable, LFI deputy Manon Aubry told AFP. It is the greatest loss of purchasing power in 40 years.
Clashes between far-left radicals – a regular fixture at French protests – and police officers were reported, with riot police firing tear gas to subdue the black-clad rioters.
Amid the protests, France’s CGT trade union is continuing strikes at oil refineries, demanding pay rises for workers.
The strikes, which have been ongoing for three weeks, have caused shortages and rationing at gas stations. GCT said that it rejected a pay offer from oil giant Total Energies.
RT. com / ABC Flash Point News 2022.
Marching and protesting does absolutely NOTHING in a police-state dictatorship. Only forceful action does. Remove the cancer or die from it. France is also a lost nation. More Africans in Paris soon than actual French people, just like London.
There will be more people in the streets everywhere when they know what is really going on “behind the scenes” so to speak.. The “scenes” are causing most people to focus on the scenes themselves instead of what is TRULY causing the problems around the world. We are ALL directed to focus on the scenes..