AA / Paris / Feiza Ben Mohamed
At least 169 people were arrested on Saturday evening, including 122 behind impromptu demonstrations in Paris in response to the use of Article 49.3 of the constitution to pass the pension reform.
The figures, provided to BFMTV by the Interior Ministry, show a sharp increase in arrests compared to Friday, when only 61 people were arrested in the capital.
The ban on demonstrations in the Place de la Concorde, which has become a symbol of the protest, will be renewed this week by the Paris police headquarters.
Saturday evening was again marred by violence, with sharp clashes between police and demonstrators for the third day in a row.
Piazza Italia, where more than 4,200 protesters had gathered, was the scene of fire and damage, and police and gendarmes responded with tear gas and water cannon.
The presence of the BRAV-M (Brigade for the Repression of Motorized Violent Actions), deployed in large numbers, was particularly noticeable throughout the evening with personnel chasing demonstrators on motorcycles and on foot suspected of being involved in violent movements.
Calls for continued wild mobilization continue to circulate on social media, calling for nightly rallies “until the government falls.”
Source: AA
