French Students Protest Pension Cuts

The French Ministry of Education today estimates that more than 300 high schools, about 7 percent of all high schools in the country, were disrupted as students joined the fight against pension cuts.

Police and students clashed in several cities. Montreuil, Toulouse, Nantes, and Paris were just some of the cities where students took to the streets and were confronted by police.

The Interior Ministry announced that 151 people, mostly students were arrested. One student in Montreuil was wounded by a flash ball fired by police and hospitalized.

The Wall Street Journal reports that student involvement could radicalize the protests and noted that radical student protests in 2006 helped overturn attempts to change the labor laws.

As oil refinery workers continued their strike against pension cuts, major oil pipelines serving Paris’ two airports, Charles De Gaulle and Orly, dried up.

Police were called in to break up blockades set up by striking workers at several refineries and hundreds of service stations have reported that they have run out of fuel.

The fifth nationwide demonstration against the cuts is scheduled to take place on Saturday, and unions announced today that another one will take place on Tuesday, the day before the French Senate is scheduled to vote on the cuts.

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About William Rogers

Contact: whurogers@att.net; Affiliations: Member, Texas State Employees Union/CWA Local 6186; Residence: South Austin, Texas

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