Text/Oriental
Macron has been accused of representing only the rich and not understanding the suffering of the people.
On May 1, thousands of people across France staged protests urging the government to take action on purchasing power and pensions, putting pressure on newly elected President Emmanuel Macron. While most of the protesters demonstrated peacefully, dozens of businesses in Paris were vandalized, including a McDonald's branch, banks, insurance companies and real estate agencies, with "black group" anarchists wearing masks in the crowd, violence and vandalism ensuing.
The parade began near the Place de la République and clashed with the police after reaching the Place de la Nation in the east of Paris. Protesters piled up building materials and garbage on the streets and then set fire to barricades, and some of the fires spewed choking black smoke into the air. It is unclear how many people were arrested.
Still, French Interior Minister Gerald Damanien said on Twitter that most were peaceful, but violence in the capital led police to arrest 54 people, including a woman who tried to attack firefighters. He also added that 8 police officers were injured.
And in Paris, at least 5,000 police officers were deployed on the streets of the French capital, supported by armored vehicles and high-pressure water guns. This year's protests come a week after French President Emmanuel Macron has been re-elected, and about 250 demonstrations are planned in Paris alone, with union president Philippe Martinez calling on citizens to "take to the streets" and make the protests "as large as possible."
Protests have also taken place in some French cities, including Lille, Nantes, Toulouse and Marseille.
Left-wing politicians in France are planning to use the May Day rally organized by trade unions to mobilize voters ahead of the June French parliamentary elections, saying Macron only represents the wealthy and does not understand day-to-day issues such as soaring costs of living. Macron dismissed the criticism and insisted he had more economically sound policies to address the issue.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a french far-left leader and current member of the National Assembly, who finished third in last month's first round of presidential elections, also took part in the Paris march and called on left-wing parties to unite against Macron. He called on his followers to oppose the macron's planned pension reforms.
Marchers held up banners denouncing the centrist president's plan to raise the retirement age to 65. At present, the "indomitable France unbow" party led by Jean-Luc Mélangzion is currently negotiating a pre-election agreement with the Socialist party.
In the marching crowd, "black group" anarchists dressed in black and masked soon clashed with the police. Police fired tear gas, and video showed officers throwing the suspect to the ground, while another video showed a group of heavily armed police officers rushing toward protesters who threw thrown objects at them.
Macron easily won re-election by beating far-right leader Marlene Le Pen with 58.5 percent of the vote in the second round of elections held last Sunday. But he acknowledged that he was facing a deeply divided country. And then, two rounds of parliamentary elections on June 12 and 19 are the country's next political front.
Both Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélangon are trying to prevent Macron's centrist party, La République en Marche, from winning a majority in parliament, which will give Macron the freedom to implement his agenda. In a video shared with supporters on Sunday, Le Pen said, "Without the support of lawmakers, Emmanuel Macron will not be able to implement his harmful plans for France, nor will he be able to implement his unfair choices for France." ”
Pelosi, who has called the violent demonstrations a "beautiful landscape," is on a visit to Poland, not far from France, and she is silent about what happened in France.