French Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin said that more than 1,000 law enforcement officers and firefighters have been injured in demonstrations and riots across France. On Sunday, the French Minister gave an interview with the French news outlet, Journal du Dimanche, where he talked about the riots-like situation across the western European country. While Darmanin highlighted the plight of the French officers, he vehemently denied the allegations that brute forces have been used by the police to tackle the French protestors. The country has been engulfed in nationwide protests against the new pension reforms pushed by French President Emmanuel Macron. The reform raised the French retirement age from 62 years to 64 years. In several areas, the protests have become even more violent with protestors clashing with the police, creating a riot-like situation in several French cities.
“1093 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters have been injured,” Darmanin told the French news outlet. “There have also been 2,579 arson attacks and 316 attacks on public buildings,” he added. However, the French Minister did not reveal how many protestors were left injured in the clashes between the French police and the French protestors. The French minister also made it clear that 36 officers are being probed on the charges of excessive use of force.
Darmanin blames the ‘ultra-left thugs’ amid the brewing turmoil
While the french interior minister denied the allegations that brute force has been used by French police to curb the ongoing protests, he blamed the ‘ultra-left thugs’ for all the chaos. “When violence, thugs and the ultra-left get involved, then it is the duty of the police to say stop,” Darmanin told the Journal du Dimanche. The French diplomat made it clear that these thugs were present at the sites of clashes to destroy the property or to “kill cops”.
According to DW, it was March 16 when the French protests instantly turned violent after French President Emmanuel Macron pushed the pension reform by using his special powers. He overrode the National Assembly before the chamber could sit and decide on the reforms. While the decision led to an eruption of riot-like situations all across the country, the Macron administration managed to survive a no-confidence motion that was pushed in the parliament. Some of the protesters disrupted shops and buildings during their demonstrations. The French police on the other hand fired teargas and used batons to deal with the protesters. It is important to note that the constitutional council is still reviewing the contentious reform.
