French gendarmes and CRS riot police stand on position near a fire as demonstrators gather on Place de la Concorde near the National Assembly to protest after French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne delivered a speech to announce the use of the article 49.3, a special clause in the French Constitution, to push the pensions reform bill through the lower house of parliament without a vote by lawmakers, in Paris, France, March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Lucien Libert
PARIS — Police fired tear gas at protesters on the Place de la Concorde in Paris, where some 7,000 people demonstrated against the government’s pension changes in a spontaneous and unplanned rally.
A Reuters reporter saw cobblestones being thrown at the police, who charged to break up groups of protesters.
The demonstration was across the river Seine from parliament, where Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne earlier on Thursday announced her government would push through the reform using a special constitution clause, as her minority government could not get the necessary backing from the opposition conservative Les Republicains party.
RELATED STORIES
Strikes against pension reforms to disrupt French rail and air traffic on Tuesday
Too tough to retire later: Paris sewer cleaners reject pension reform
French government, unions to meet over pension strike impasse