Tear gas was deployed against a massive rally in Paris denouncing recently proposed labor reform. Two RT crews got caught in the turbulence. Protests have recently swept the whole France with Saturday rally in Rennes also taking a violent turn.
Comment: "Labor Reform" is such a disingenuous word for what really equates to taking more money away from the working class, while the rich elites amass obscene wealth with impunity.
Hundreds of protesters were seen marching through the streets of Paris, some of them setting off firecrackers. At some point, police fired tear gas and RT France correspondent Kyrill Kotikov-Convenant, who was there live-feeding the event through Periscope, got caught up in the smoke.
Trade unions and students rally against labor reforms in Paris https://t.co/hhhdnsTkkN pic.twitter.com/noglDGYNyG— RT (@RT_com) April 9, 2016
Gros affrontements à Nation, projectiles énormes contre les CRS. Je crois que la colère gronde. #manif9avril pic.twitter.com/65i89ivOKj
— OneRadex (@OneRadex) April 9, 2016
An RT UK crew was caught up in the violence as camerawoman Hulya Sen sustained an injury to her leg.
"She was filming and she says some kind of explosive device was thrown and it exploded near her foot and she has a bleeding leg," RT's Anastasia Churkina reported from Paris.
Churkina said that Hulya was all right. The explosive device was apparently thrown by a protester, she added.
The protest in the French capital started on Place de la Nation, the same spot where previous anti-labor rallies took place. A heavy police presence has been reported in the area.
"Still no fear" and "Democracy, where are you?" were written on demonstrators' banners.
Other banners read "For life without war" and "Stop the [labor reform] project."
Paris s'est soulevée contre la #LoiTravail #manif9avril #40mars #NuitDebout pic.twitter.com/XviMOFPd7d
— Nit (@Nitsuga000) April 9, 2016
From 2,000 to 8,000 people took to the streets of the French capital, AFP reports citing the rally organizers.
Students have been repeatedly rallying against labor law reforms recently proposed by Labor Minister Myriam El Khomri. The French authorities are desperately trying to battle high unemployment in the country, and have suggested cutting overtime pay for work beyond 35 hours.
#manif9avril Rassemblement monstre et festif à #Paris !#loitravailnonmerci #OnVautMieuxQueCa #LoiTravail pic.twitter.com/iJ7FSmFaR7
— Romain R. (@rominou75) April 9, 2016
The protest, held under the hashtag #LoiTravail (Labor Law), was partially organized by a Facebook group called 'Loi travail: non, merci' (Labor reform: No, thanks).
Importante manifestation à #Paris contre la réforme du code du travail #loitravail pic.twitter.com/OWOwM1xjZ8
— TV5MONDE Infos (@TV5MONDEINFO) April 9, 2016
Nouveaux tirs de lacrymos cours Olivier de clisson#Nantes #manif9avril pic.twitter.com/FLG4UA2qRz
— Anne-Hélène Dorison (@AnneHD44) April 9, 2016
Clashes erupt at Paris labour reform demo #manif9avrilFOLLOW LIVE: https://t.co/s6fhKsWxpB https://t.co/fH24uFXMSG
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) April 9, 2016
#NuitDebout se prepara ya en place #République para manifestación #LoiTravail #París #40mars Actos por toda Europa pic.twitter.com/qKYVmBp70t
— 15M Huesca (@AsambleaHuesca) April 9, 2016
Personally I can't wait for "Capitalism" to end but it will be the biggest shock humanity has ever experienced and Im not sure the people in charge will not stoop so low as to end it all out of spite.