Protesters Clash With Police in Central Paris Amid Nationwide Strike

Protesters clashed with police in central Paris on December 5 in France’s largest nationwide strike in years.

The demonstrations were organized over President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed pension reforms, which would replace the country’s many public and private schemes with a nationwide points-based model.

The general walkout shut down transportation, schools, and other public and private sector services across the country. Le Figaro reported that France’s Interior Ministry estimated 806,000 people protested nationwide, while CGT, the national trade union center in France, said the figure was closer to 1.5 million.

Police in Paris said at least 90 people had been arrested by Thursday evening. Credit: Anton Stolper via Storyful