What’s happening for Act 62 of the Gilets Jaunes today, 62nd consecutive Saturday of protest? Not much, I expect. A small march in Paris. Similar in other towns. The movement has been swallowed/overshadowed by the 45 days old union-led strikes/protests against pension reform.
The pension protests are also entering a new phase – not so much trench warfare as guerrilla warfare. France, it seems, has become a laboratory for a new form of social movement: the chronic-but-not-crippling protest without end.
After 45 days, strikes on railways and Paris Metro are weakening daily. Only 4.6% of rail strikers on Fri. The railways will run a close to normal service on many lines today. On the Metro, 7 lines out of 16 will run normally, by far the best service since strikes began on 5 Dec.
A 6th day of anti-pension reform street marches on Thursday saw only 187,000 turn out nationwide, less than half the number of last week and a quarter of the number in December. Only 23,000 marched in Paris, compared to 44,000 last week.
Militant unions have therefore switched to guerrilla actions, including a brief blockage of the Louvre on Friday. A group of 30 or so hard-line RATP/SNCF workers pushed their way into the Paris HQ of the moderate, pro-reform CFDT union federation, insulting and shoving staff.
Attempts by the militant CGT union to distract from the fading rail/Metro strikes by spreading the dispute to refineries/ports has had only moderate impact. But a raft of other trades from lawyers, to firefighters to ballet dancers are still carrying out their own protests.
This may go on for weeks but Pres Macron has, in effect, won the battle against gold-plated special pensions regimes which previous govts lost. Whether this will give Macron an electoral dividend is unclear. Public opinion remains anxious about a much-amended, slow-motion reform
SORRY missed a 2nd link in the thread...
The pension protests are also entering a new phase – not so much trench warfare as guerrilla warfare. France, it seems, has become a laboratory for a new form of social movement: the chronic-but-not-crippling protest without end.
The pension protests are also entering a new phase – not so much trench warfare as guerrilla warfare. France, it seems, has become a laboratory for a new form of social movement: the chronic-but-not-crippling protest without end.
Another example of this guerrilla warfare. A group of 30 or so anti-pension reform protesters tried last night to push their way into a theatre in N Paris where Macron and his wife Brigitte were watching a performance. Mr and Mrs M had to be removed under police escort at the end
Another example of the guerrilla? This time verging on terrorism. A fire bomb was thrown through terrace window of celebrated Rotonde brasserie in Montparnasse early today. Some damage. No claims of responsibility. It was here that Macron feted his first round victory in 2017.
Scuffles between police and gilets jaunes in the 9h arrondissement near Saint Lazare. Several robust arrests. Not clear what started it. About 1,000 in the march and all calm until then.
Big victory for Macron, quand même. Union branches have voted today to suspend the strike on most Paris Metro lines from Monday. Guerrilla actions will no doubt continue but this is de facto confirmation that militant unions have lost. Sncf not far behind?
Partial correction. It is only the largest Metro union, unsa, which has voted to go back to work on Monday. But this will be enough to reopen most lines more or less fully. Unsa, at national level, supports the pension reform. But it's Metro branch was more militant.
Severe violence and clashes with police in Paris tonight as hard core of Gilet Jaune and ultra left protesters refuse to disperse and overturn cars and set fires in street near Bastille.
Several injuries among protesters after police charges. Thirty arrests
Most of trouble is near Gare de Lyon. Scooter on fire. Water cannon moving in to douse the trouble-makers. Maybe 100 of them. Mostly young men, hard-line Gilets jaunes and other activists of hard left.
