Thread: Violence on Paris streets: Millions protest against Sarkozy

Violence on Paris streets as millions protest against Nicolas Sarkozy's handling of economic crisis

Violent skirmishes broke out in Paris last night after a day in which millions took to the streets as part of a nationwide protest over the government's handling of the economic crisis.

By Peter Allen in Paris
Last Updated: 11:46PM GMT 19 Mar 2009


People protest during France's second nationwide strike in two months, to demand a boost to wages and greater protection form the crisis, in Marseille Photo: AFP

Schools, courts, post offices, universities and hospitals were closed, with public transport severely disrupted, as up to 200 marches were organised against President Nicolas Sarkozy's approach to the global downturn.

The biggest protests were in Paris, where police said up to 85,000 people took five hours to walk from Place de la République to Place de la Nation. As the light faded, hundreds of riot police were sent to the area where anarchist groups waving revolutionary flags were among those massing. Riot police fired rounds of tear gas after demonstrators lit fires and smashed shop windows. Fighting broke out on all corners of the square, with police moving in to try to arrest ring leaders.

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Chants of "Sarkozy resign" were heard as what appeared to be well organised gangs went on the rampage in surrounding streets, targeting banks and other symbols of capitalism.A riot police spokesman said: "There are a number of people who seem determined to cause trouble. We are doing everything we can to maintain order."

There were more than 300 arrests in Paris alone, according to police. Ten officers were seriously injured by a variety of missiles, including bottles, metal bars and bricks.

Earlier, unions said that the number of protesters nationwide had approached three million. Police put the estimate at greater than the two million who took part in similar demonstrations at the end of January.

The latest strike won support across the country, with three quarters of those questioned in polls saying they feared for their futures.

Mr Sarkozy unveiled a package of proposals, including tax breaks and social benefits, after January's strike, but protesters said the £2.3 billion deal was not enough. The president said on Wednesday he understood "the concerns of the French people" but ruled out plans for further measures.

He rejected mounting calls by unions and the opposition to suspend a 50 per cent cap on income tax, arguing that it would drive wealthy taxpayers abroad.

The CGT (confederation of labour) led the Paris demonstration behind a banner that read: "United against the crisis, defend employment, spending power and public services".

Jean-Claude Mailly, the head of the Force Ouvrière union, said protesters had "a profound sense of social injustice, and that, I think, is something that neither the government nor the employers have understood".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/5019262 ... risis.html

Sarkozy warned of ‘class war’

By Peggy Hollinger in Paris

Published: March 18 2009 21:34 | Last updated: March 18 2009 21:34

France faces a “class warâ€

France braced for huge street protests over economic crisis

Private and public sector workers in second general strike against Sarkozy cuts

Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 19 March 2009 08.12 GMT


Continental employees burn tyres during a demonstration in Compiègne, north of Paris Photograph: Michel Spingler/AP

France is bracing for a wave of street protests in the second general strike over Nicolas Sarkozy's handling of the economic crisis.

Traditional public sector strikers such as teachers, transport workers and hospital staff will join an unprecedented new protest movement by private sector workers from banks and supermarkets to multinationals. Together they are protesting against both Sarkozy's cuts to France's public sector and welfare state, and accusing him of failing to protect workers from the economic crisis. Most of those involved fear the dreaded French scourge: unemployment, which is now rising at the fastest rate in more than a decade.

Unions predict the demonstrations will be bigger than the estimated 2.5 million people who took to the streets in a strike over pay and job losses in January.

Today's protest has the widest public support of any French strike in a decade, with three quarters of the population in favour.

It comes amid government concern that French protests are becoming more radical. Last week angry factory workers took Sony France's chief executive hostage over redundancies.

Yesterday morning, students clashed with riot police in Paris after a demonstration over university reform. Universities across France have been barricaded and picketed for almost two months in a standoff over higher education reform. The satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné yesterday reported that Sarkozy wanted student protests calmed by May, fearing echoes of the student-led protests of May 1968.

"The situation is getting worse day by day ... Who doesn't know someone touched by the crisis? The government hasn't come up with a strong response," said Jean-Claude Mailly, head of the Force Ouvriére union.

France, which has a more rigid and cautious financial system and a weak private sector, has not yet been as badly hit as Britain, Ireland or Spain by the economic crisis. But unions want guarantees of job protection and a higher minimum wage.

Sarkozy insists he will stick to his handling of the economic crisis - focusing on public and private investment instead of boosting consumers' pockets with major tax cuts or higher welfare spending. Last month, he moved to defuse tension by introducing certain tax cuts and welfare payments for poor families. Unions say it was not enough, but the president insists there will be no more concessions.

Many across the left and right accuse Sarkozy of comforting the rich while workers suffer. When the French oil giant Total announced job cuts just after reporting record profits, more than 80% of the public voiced their disgust in a recent poll.

This week Sarkozy was urged to reverse one of his first reforms that effectively cut taxes for the mega-rich in an attempt to woo back France's exodus of wealthy citizens.

Those on the left and some in Sarkozy's own party now want the very rich to pay more to boost state coffers in the crisis. Sarkozy has refused. "I was not elected to increase taxes," he said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/ma ... ve-strikes

The U.S. is next... Pelosi, Gutierrez, Loretta Sanchez and Napolitano are trying to "stealth streamline" illegal immigrant amnesty in the next few weeks under the noses of the U.S. citizens whom so vehemently OPPOSE it... believe me, we'll see MASSES of U.S. CITIZENS doing the exact same thing if and when this happens....

Not to discount the economic situation, I believe these riots have become a yearly event in France during the Spring. Last year these riots spread from "police no go" areas of Paris to other cities in France and from there throughout Europe. Large numbers of cars are now burned every year without the authorities being able to stop it, and last year an elderly French citizen was killed by rioters while trying to put out a fire set in a trash can near his home. Although the press will never report it, the majority of these "ritualistic rioters" evidently are Muslim youth born in France and living in areas of French cities where even the police will not venture because it is not safe for non-Muslims to enter. Many of these youths have received every benefit--including an entirely free education courtesy of the French state--yet they, like their parents, still refuse to assimilate to French society or honor the laws and customs of their host country. Many of their parents came to France as "guest workers", but they and their children have proven themselves to be both costly, and now dangerous, "guests".

While it may look "admirable" to some to protest like this, we cannot succumb to rioting in this country. I think that is exactly what the govt wants us to do so they can impose martial law and some sort of "super control" over the masses. Once they get that, I doubt we will be "trusted" with much freedom again.

While it may look "admirable" to some to protest like this, we cannot succumb to rioting in this country. I think that is exactly what the govt wants us to do so they can impose martial law and some sort of "super control" over the masses. Once they get that, I doubt we will be "trusted" with much freedom again.

We do not need to protest this way. We need to vote the bums out. We have an opportunity in 2010 to hold the entire House of Rep and one third of the Senate accountable for the mess in Washington. The problem with this country is us. We did this to ourselves. We keep returning the same people to office so much that they become virtually untouchable. When we had a referendum in our state to establish term limits for our Senators and Congressmen it was overwhelmingly defeated. Why? Because the citizens of our state worried more about the pork our politicians brought home then they did about the damage our politicians were doing to the country in general. If we do not change our attitudes, we will not be able to change Washington.

Originally Posted by 4thHorseman

While it may look "admirable" to some to protest like this, we cannot succumb to rioting in this country. I think that is exactly what the govt wants us to do so they can impose martial law and some sort of "super control" over the masses. Once they get that, I doubt we will be "trusted" with much freedom again.

We do not need to protest this way. We need to vote the bums out. We have an opportunity in 2010 to hold the entire House of Rep and one third of the Senate accountable for the mess in Washington. The problem with this country is us. We did this to ourselves. We keep returning the same people to office so much that they become virtually untouchable. When we had a referendum in our state to establish term limits for our Senators and Congressmen it was overwhelmingly defeated. Why? Because the citizens of our state worried more about the pork our politicians brought home then they did about the damage our politicians were doing to the country in general. If we do not change our attitudes, we will not be able to change Washington.

Agreed. My big worry is that 2010 might be too late! Look how much Oblabber has done in his short time in office already. It seems like him and the dems in congress are riding a greased sled that keeps picking up momentum by the day....by the hour! It's terrifying.