Protesters Arrested in Marseille Amid Ongoing Pension Reform Protests in France

Over a thousand people gathered in Marseille, France, on Saturday, March 18, amid an escalation in protests following the French government’s decision to force through pension reforms without a parliamentary vote.

Footage by media outlet Tous Dehors shows crowds rallying around a fire in the Place Jean Jaurès in Marseille’s city center.

According to local media citing police, four people were arrested after a large fire was lit and numerous projectiles were thrown at the police.

On Thursday, the French government used a special constitutional power known as Article 49:3 to raise the retirement age in France from 62 to 64. The controversial reform has prompted nationwide strikes since January. Credit: Tous Dehors via Storyful