The social movement against the French government's planned pension reforms has been escalating since it began in May of 2003. Hundreds of thousands of workers took part in two general strikes and massive demonstrations throughout the month to oppose reforms that will force people to work longer to receive full pensions.

On Tuesday, June 3, about 5,000 people in Calais marched to the A26 highway and were brutally attacked by riot police with batons and tear gas.

On Thursday, June 5, the regional office of the employers' federation MEDEF in the port of La Rochelle was set on fire and several other MEDEF offices across the country were attacked.

On Friday, June 6, striking workers disrupted train and bus service in Marseille and Paris. Demonstrators cut power lines at the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris, halting trains for hours. Striking bus workers and supporters blockaded a bus depot in the northern suburbs of Paris, armed themselves with baseball bats and fought with riot police. Sanitation workers in Lyon dumped garbage in front of City Hall. Striking teachers also occupied bus depots and train tracks.

Tens of thousands of people marched through Paris on Tuesday, June 10, as France was hit with its third general strike since the beginning of May. Clashes with the police broke out in front of the National Assembly, while politicians discussed the reforms inside. Striking workers and a contingent of about 100 anarchists fought back against baton charges, tear gas and water cannon attacks by tearing up cobblestones and throwing them at the riot police. Barricades were built in the streets and set on fire, as police drove the demonstrators back. About 350 people escaped into an opera building, only to be attacked again by riot cops. 60 people were arrested. Societe Generale economist Olivier Gasnier commented on the day's events by saying "The radicalization of the strikes, the images of violence like those seen on Tuesday evening in Paris could disturb consumers' peace of mind." The strikes have cost the French economy hundreds of millions of dollars and are frightening away investors.

In Lille workers set fire to the Coventry factory and took packages of detergent to the demonstration downtown where tens of thousands were marching through the streets. Strikers threw the packages of detergent at riot police for an hour, giving the filthy pigs a good wash. Police then fired tear gas, charged the demonstrators and beat some of them with batons.

At 5:00 am in the morning hundreds of dock workers, railway workers and fish merchants set up blockades at the port in Boulogne sur Mer, set them on fire and defended them against riot police tear gas attacks until 4:00 am the next day.

In Nice workers occupied the National Theatre of Nice, produced leaflets explaining their action and used the space to hold meetings concerning the social struggle.

Demonstrations also took place in Marseille, Rouen and Nantes.

On Wednesday, June 11, 200 people took over and occupied the Town Hall in Toulouse and closed the doors to the police.

The next day, Thursday, June 12, the National Opera of Lyon was occupied by 200 people and the space was used to hold assemblies and plan future actions. Another action targeted the Pathé Cinema in Lyon, forcing it to shut down for the day.

In Lille three major highways were blocked by groups of 300 students, workers and unemployed people. A spontaneous demonstration of more than 1,000 people marched through the streets of the city, as people blocked the doors of businesses and government offices with trash bins and attempted to push through riot police lines. The office of the Union of the Presidential Majority (UMP) was trashed as workers dumped garbage, water and detergent inside the buildings. Demonstrators chanted, “UMP state! Police state!”

Major road blockades were also set up in Toulouse, Avignon, Paris, Bastia, Perpignan, Toulon and Marseilles.

Another general strike has been called for June 19. The social war continues as direct action and sabotage spread across France, disturbing the peace of the ruling class.

Photos at:

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2003/06/64587.php

http://paris.indymedia.org

http://lille.indymedia.org

Autonomous Action News
Vancouver, Canada
Coast Salish Territory