The French government justified the violence of the police against the protesters.
According to the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” newspaper, according to the French Ministry of Interior, since mid-March, 1093 police officers and firefighters have been injured in violent protests against pension reforms in France. In addition, there were 2,579 arson attacks and 316 attacks on public buildings, while 36 officers were questioned on suspicion of excessive use of force, Interior Minister Gerald Darwinin told Sunday newspaper JDD. He did not mention the number of injured demonstrators.
Protests against the government’s pension plan, which had been peaceful for weeks, turned violent on March 16. On that day, the government approved highly controversial reforms that would gradually raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote in parliament, which is still being considered by the Constitutional Council.
The French interior minister rejected the recent accusation that police officers acted violently against protesters and used disproportionate force, emphasizing that the right to protest does not include the right to use violence.
Law enforcement agencies should step in if far-leftists and other rioters incite mostly peaceful protests, Daramin said, stressing that police can exercise legitimate authority and, he says, sometimes act forcefully.
According to him, they are reacting to very violent attacks by professional rioters who want to destroy property and kill police officers.
Unions in France have announced the next day of nationwide protests on Thursday. Strikes continue to disrupt the public life of citizens. Air traffic and fuel supply to fuel stations are affected at certain points.
