02:57Protesters blocked the incinerator in Ivry-sur-Seine, outside Paris, on Monday, as they rallied against the government's pension reform.
Protesters joined workers and trade union members as they scuffled with police who attempted to unblock the entrance and disperse the crowd.
"We're going to make the government bend. We're going to torpedo it. And if he doesn't understand the people, we have to call the crowd. And the crowd, it will be angry," said an activist while addressing the rally. "We must block the economy. It is not serious, we will eat white pasta. We will drink water, we don't care. We can win this battle," added another protester.
For several weeks, garbage collectors have staged protests and strikes in the French capital, exacerbating the city's maintenance.
The protest comes as a strike notice by Derichebourg, a company responsible for waste collection in several districts of Paris, was lifted after the companies' workers cancelled the collection of garbage in the capital for three weeks.
Last week, French lawmakers narrowly rejected a no-confidence motion in the government by just nine votes. A second, introduced by the right-wing 'National Rally', also failed to pass by a much larger margin.
The motions were put forward after the government decided to force its plan to raise the retirement age, from 62 to 64, through the National Assembly without a vote earlier in the month.
While it passed in the upper house, President Emmanuel Macron’s administration used the executive power with numbers in the lower house making the vote too close to call.
Protests by opponents of the pension reform have taken place across France since January 2023, and have intensified in recent weeks, after Macron announced the overhaul in late 2022.
France: Tensions run high as garbage collectors block incinerator outside Paris in protest against pension reform
Protesters blocked the incinerator in Ivry-sur-Seine, outside Paris, on Monday, as they rallied against the government's pension reform.
Protesters joined workers and trade union members as they scuffled with police who attempted to unblock the entrance and disperse the crowd.
"We're going to make the government bend. We're going to torpedo it. And if he doesn't understand the people, we have to call the crowd. And the crowd, it will be angry," said an activist while addressing the rally. "We must block the economy. It is not serious, we will eat white pasta. We will drink water, we don't care. We can win this battle," added another protester.
For several weeks, garbage collectors have staged protests and strikes in the French capital, exacerbating the city's maintenance.
The protest comes as a strike notice by Derichebourg, a company responsible for waste collection in several districts of Paris, was lifted after the companies' workers cancelled the collection of garbage in the capital for three weeks.
Last week, French lawmakers narrowly rejected a no-confidence motion in the government by just nine votes. A second, introduced by the right-wing 'National Rally', also failed to pass by a much larger margin.
The motions were put forward after the government decided to force its plan to raise the retirement age, from 62 to 64, through the National Assembly without a vote earlier in the month.
While it passed in the upper house, President Emmanuel Macron’s administration used the executive power with numbers in the lower house making the vote too close to call.
Protests by opponents of the pension reform have taken place across France since January 2023, and have intensified in recent weeks, after Macron announced the overhaul in late 2022.
Protesters blocked the incinerator in Ivry-sur-Seine, outside Paris, on Monday, as they rallied against the government's pension reform.
Protesters joined workers and trade union members as they scuffled with police who attempted to unblock the entrance and disperse the crowd.
"We're going to make the government bend. We're going to torpedo it. And if he doesn't understand the people, we have to call the crowd. And the crowd, it will be angry," said an activist while addressing the rally. "We must block the economy. It is not serious, we will eat white pasta. We will drink water, we don't care. We can win this battle," added another protester.
For several weeks, garbage collectors have staged protests and strikes in the French capital, exacerbating the city's maintenance.
The protest comes as a strike notice by Derichebourg, a company responsible for waste collection in several districts of Paris, was lifted after the companies' workers cancelled the collection of garbage in the capital for three weeks.
Last week, French lawmakers narrowly rejected a no-confidence motion in the government by just nine votes. A second, introduced by the right-wing 'National Rally', also failed to pass by a much larger margin.
The motions were put forward after the government decided to force its plan to raise the retirement age, from 62 to 64, through the National Assembly without a vote earlier in the month.
While it passed in the upper house, President Emmanuel Macron’s administration used the executive power with numbers in the lower house making the vote too close to call.
Protests by opponents of the pension reform have taken place across France since January 2023, and have intensified in recent weeks, after Macron announced the overhaul in late 2022.