French President Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned the violence in the local protests against retirement reform on Thursday, stressing that he will not give in.
Macron stated at a press conference after attending the EU summit in Brussels that he would not succumb to violence and condemned violence with the utmost strength.
The Macron government cited constitutional powers to bypass the National Assembly voting process and forcibly pass the reform of the retirement system, raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, triggering public dissatisfaction.
Thursday’s demonstration was the most violent day of protests against retirement reform this year. In the surrounding areas of Paris alone, more than 900 places were set on fire. The authorities accused the anarchists of burning the rubbish piled up on the roadside due to the strike of cleaning workers, smashed the glass windows of the shops, and clashed with the riot police many times. Police arrested more than 450 people and injured 441 officers, the interior ministry said.
Human rights groups have condemned the excessive and dangerous use of force by the police, which undermines the right of citizens to protest.
Affected by the demonstrations, King Charles III’s planned visit to France at the end of this month has been postponed. The Élysée Palace said in a statement that Macron spoke with Charles III on the phone and that the two governments jointly decided to postpone the visit. Macron said the trip would be rescheduled for early summer.