More than 300,000 people demonstrated in France, according to the CGT; A PS stand attacked in the Parisian procession

While unemployment continues its rise, threats to employment fed on Thursday 1^er May, the mobilization of traditional union processions also resonated for fears for peace and stability in the world. While some 269 parades were planned throughout France, more than 300,000 people demonstrated the CGT to the Agency France-Presse (AFP). The authorities’ figure was not immediately available.

“This day of demonstration is a great success, we have identified 270 events throughout France and at this stage we have 250,000 demonstrators, so the total balance sheet will be higher”said on LCI the number one of the union, Sophie Binet. Shortly after the power station revised its figure upwards by reporting “More than 300,000” demonstrators including 100,000 in Paris.

In the port city of Dunkirk, several hundred people gathered in the morning on Thursday at the call of the CGT, to protest against the deletion plan of around 600 positions announced by ArcelorMittal in its sites in the North and East of France. “Let’s confiscate dividends”,, “Nationalization of ArcelorMittal”could we read on signs.

Several leftist political leaders, including the first secretary of the Socialist Party (PS), Olivier Faure, the various left deputy, François Ruffin, the National Secretary of Ecologists, Marine Tondelier, or the President La France Insoumise (LFI) of the Economic Affairs Committee, Aurélie found, were present alongside the demonstrators. In Metz, employees of ArcelorMittal Florange, where 113 jobs must be deleted, were also present. “There are the bowl of those who sell the hospital to pay bursts”proclaimed the demonstrators.

In Paris, the demonstration set off at 2 p.m. from Place d’Italie to Place de la Nation. Speaking before the start of the procession, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of rebellious France, spoke of ArcelorMottal by calling for “Nationalize” the company. He also asked for the return of retirement at 60: “We will continue the battle for the eight hours of work per day, the 35 hours, and we will continue to fight for retirement at 60”promised the founder of rebellious France. Mr. Mélenchon called on the left to unite two years from the presidential election. “For so long, it was the unions that united 1^er-Mai and the working class around the world. Well today, alas, such a unit was not possible! It is therefore up to politics to do your job and say “you have to change the world if you want to change the work” “he insisted.

He also mentioned, without appointing him, Aboubakar Cissé, killed on April 25 with some forty stabs in a mosque in La Grand-Combe (Gard). The triple presidential candidate, notably said that “Islamophobia and racism are the invention of powerful to divide the people”. “The 1^er-Ith is for us an anti -racist gathering and racists of all periods, of all eras, have always known it ”added Mr. Mélenchon.

The Paris parade was marked by clashes around a stand of the Socialist Party (PS). According to an AFP journalist, demonstrators dressed in black, some wearing antifa flags, strongly challenged and jostled elected officials and PS activists who had a stand on the journey of the demonstration. “Everyone hates the PS”chanted these demonstrators hostile to the socialist presence in a tense atmosphere. The socialist MEP, Chloé Ridel, said on X that the socialists have ” was insulted and then attacked by black blocks: they torn off our flags and banners, kicked, punches, launched firecrackers ”she said, writing not having “Words strong enough to condemn hatred and violence we faced”.

“Serious and unacceptable violence. These disruptors are the enemies of the workers and the left. All my support for injured comrades “wrote Mr. Vallaud on X, announcing seize the public prosecutor. “They don’t scare us, they will not silence the socialists”he added.

“” The police intervened to secure the premises and carry out arrests », Himfully said the Minister of the Interior, also on X. “We will not back down to political violence that the far left tries to install in our country”added Bruno Retailleau.

“We will not be intimidated”warned Olivier Faure. “By their methods, the black blocks discredit the fights they claim to wear. They serve as idiots useful to all those who dream of transforming the crowd of workers into a violent pack that should be contained ”wrote on X the first secretary of the PS.

“Military budgets will increase and the social will toast”

In the other processions, the demonstrators were between 15,000, according to the CGT, and 3,600, according to the prefecture, in Marseille. They were also between 6,500, according to the prefecture, and 10,000 according to the organizers, in Toulouse, 2,900 in Strasbourg, 1,800 in Brest and 2,350 in Bordeaux, according to the prefectures, and 2,200 in Nancy.

In Nantes, where 5,000 people gathered according to the authorities, clashes occurred between demonstrators and the police who used water cannons. The Loire-Atlantique prefecture has announced that “Protesters have degraded the prefecture and thrown projectiles as well as mortars against the police”adding that fifteen people had been arrested.

For International Workers’ Day, the CGT had called with the FSU, Solidaires and Youth Organizations (Student Union, UNEF, FAGE, USL) to parade “Against the extreme right, for peace, freedoms and social justice”. A hundred days after the arrival of the American president, Donald Trump, in power, these trade union organizations also want to make this day a highlight “Against the world of the world”according to Thomas Vacheron, CGT manager. “For the past three months, we have heard the question of war, the question of debt, the question of insecurity, the question of immigration, but never social issues”regretted the secretary general of the CGT, Sophie Binet, on franceinfo.

Shortly before the departure of the Parisian procession, the secretary general of Force Ouvrière, Frédéric Souillot, called for “The increase in wages And at “The repeal of the pension reform”adopted in the spring of 2023 thanks to the use of article 49.3 of the Constitution by the then Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne.

For their part, the number one of the CFDT, Marylise Léon, and his counterpart of the UNSA, Laurent Escure, found themselves in the center of Paris for a round table on work. For m^me Leon, it was a question of having a space to evoke “The work crisis”,, “The great unthought of the moment”.

This traditional meeting was held when the government has supported a bill aimed at authorizing certain professions to make employees work on 1^er-Mai, the only public holiday and unemployed in France. “There are people who want to work in the country and when they are on a voluntary basis, with a doubling of salary, they must be able to do it”judged the Minister of Labor, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet on Thursday On RTL. It must be“We leave [la loi] as it is “claimed the secretary general of the CFDT, Marylise Léon, On TF1/LCI.