French Revolution 2.0

[Rockstar]

May Day riot squads in full force.

Is this really just about workers having to work two more years to recieve a max pension? If it is the response seems a little overkill to me. Anything else going on?

Live video
https://www.youtube.com/live/b3HAEnhM4js?feature=share

https://www.youtube.com/live/Bizv5PPt_do?feature=share

[mapuc]

I think there have to be more to it than just these two years increase on their retirement.

One may say that this was the drop of water which made the glass to be overfilled.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

The French have a long history of civil disorder in defence of their rights. Tis just a pity we Brits haven't.

[August]

Originally Posted by mapuc

I think there have to be more to it than just these two years increase on their retirement.

One may say that this was the drop of water which made the glass to be overfilled.

Markus

Seems that glass has been overfilled for some time now. I remember similar riots when they proposed a longer work week.

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by August

Seems that glass has been overfilled for some time now. I remember similar riots when they proposed a longer work week.

Guess you're right.

Following the development in their society, in the news here and in Sweden, tells me that the riot we see must be due to a lot more..

But then I can't read French and Jim is also correct when he wrote
"long history of civil disorder in defence of their rights."

Let say it's a feeling I have.

Markus

[August]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Guess you're right.

Following the development in their society, in the news here and in Sweden, tells me that the riot we see must be due to a lot more..

But then I can't read French and Jim is also correct when he wrote
"long history of civil disorder in defence of their rights."

Let say it's a feeling I have.

Markus

You may well be right. Nobody thought the first French revolution would happen, until it did.

[Dargo]

The violence used by the security forces is objectively disproportionate. The sharp increase in violence by the security forces is not proportional to the increase in aggressive protesters, there are more agitated individuals throwing stones, but compared to what the police can do, it is peanuts. The problem is that French security forces do not target individuals, but the whole group. The police seem to treat protests as a fight between two equal partners, but the job of the police is not to fight with protesters, but to maintain order. For a few years now, and certainly since the chaotic Yellow Jacket protests, there has been talk of a zero-tolerance policy. In the past, like the student revolt in May 1968, we have also seen extremely violent protests. But then the police knew better how to control their frustrations, even when people threw stones, Molotov cocktails and insulted policemen.

[Rockstar]

France under fire at UN for police violence, racial and religious discrimination Issued on: 01/05/2023 - 15:46



Riot police officers face youths during a demonstration, May 1, 2023 in Paris. © Aurelien Morissar, AP
Text by: NEWS WIRES 1 min

Several nations voiced concern at the United Nations Monday over police violence, including against protesters, in France, as the country headed into another day of mass demonstrations.

Attacks on migrants, racial profiling and religious intolerance were also raised during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – which all 193 UN countries must undergo every four years.

France must "take measures to, in a transparent manner, address allegations regarding excessive use of force by police and gendarmerie against protestors during demonstrations," Sweden's representative told the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Other countries raised similar concerns, including Denmark, Liechtenstein and Norway, but also Russia, Venezuela and Iran – three countries that themselves regularly face accusations of police violence and other serious and widespread human rights violations.

"We are concerned about the harsh and sometimes violent measures aimed at dispersing peaceful citizens," Russia's representative Kristina Sukacheva, told the council.

The criticism came as France braced for up to 1.5 million protesters to fill its streets to mark the May 1 workers day, even as President Emmanuel Macron tries to steer the country on from a divisive pension law that has sparked anger, pan-bashing and social unrest.

It echoed growing outcry in France of the police for disproportionate use of force in dealing with the crowds, amid the months of protests over the move to raise France's pension age from 62 to 64.

During Monday's review, several countries including the United States and China called on France to do more to battle racial and religious discrimination.

US representative Kelly Billingsley said her country urged Paris to "expand efforts to counter crimes and threats of violence motivated by religious hatred such as antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate, including cases of harassment, vandalism, and assault."

The Chinese representative decried "a rise of racism and xenophobia" in France, urging it to "stop … measures that violate rights of migrants".

Brazil and Japan decried "racial profiling by security forces".

Sabrine Balim, a judicial advisor with the French interior ministry, told the council the use of force was "strictly supervised, controlled, and in the case of erroneous use, sanctioned."

She also stressed that "France condemns any form of racial profiling."