French students and unions stepped up pressure on the government Monday, calling for a strike on March 28 to fight a contested new labor law that makes it easier for companies to fire young employees.
This is called as a nationwide day of strikes and protests, and as transportation unions are involved, they have the power to shut down the country.
From Libcom.
Riot as hundreds of high school students protest.
Tbey also report that a union demonstrator was trampled by police and badly injured. Police then refused to call for medical help. He is in a coma, the union is furious, and this movement has a rallying symbol.
Photo also from Libcom. “Death to the State and its dogs.” They have many more photos.
Street protests have been a French tradition since the storming of the Bastille in 1789.
The protagonists/participants of the riots a few months ago were the marginalised suburban poor while the middle classes are in the vanguard withese riots.
There is a curious uniformity in government response. Sarkozy painted himself into a corner a few months ago just as Villepin has managed to do this time. Just like Sarkozy, Villepin doesn’t dare backtrack as that is political suicide in the forthcoming elections.