France Suffers Through Another Violent May Day

Yesterday was May Day, and in Europe, that usually means trouble. That is especially true in France, where the commies, leftists, oddballs, and misfits all come out of the woodwork to celebrate being a worker as well as the life of Karl Marx. The result is generally riots and injured police. This year was no exception and probably was worse possibly as a result of the French government’s new pension reforms raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. That alone has caused recent riots across France. Yesterday, some 60 police were injured across France, some seriously after being literally set on fire as a result of Molotov cocktails being thrown at them. 

The below article from Le Figaro is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/manifestations-du-1er-mai-540-interpellations-et-406-policiers-et-gendarmes-blesses-annonce-gerald-darmanin-20230502

May 1st demonstrations: 540 arrests and 406 police and gendarmes injured, Gerald Darmanin announces

By Le Figaro and Agence France Presse

Posted 15 hours ago, updated 13 hours ago

The Interior Minister returned Tuesday to the violence that punctuated the mobilizations across France against the pension reforms.

At least 540 people were arrested Monday during demonstrations across France against pension reform. In addition, 406 police and gendarmes were injured, according to a new report provided by the Minister of Interior, Gerald Darmanin. In the capital, 259 police officers were injured, he stated on BFMTV. 

“There must be the strongest criminal sanctions against those who attack the police,” he added, calling for an “anti-thug law”. Among the injured police and gendarmes, “three are in an extremely difficult situation, even if their vital prognosis is not (life-threatening)”, the minister noted. The police officer struck by a Molotov cocktail in the Paris demonstration, “was burned on the face, (and) he is still hospitalized,” he added. 

61 demonstrators injured

“Where is the condemnation of Jean-Luc Melenchon against the attack on this police officer?” then launched Gerald Darmanin and in taking several shots at the leader of France Insoumise, accused him of not sufficiently condemning the violence. “His silence makes him an accomplice,” he further asserted. 

On the demonstrators’ side, “61 were injured in all of France, 31 of whom in Paris,” Gerald Darmanin then added. “There was a level of violence in the pre-march, among the thugs, the “ultra” individuals who greatly surpassed the level of violence seen during the last 12 demonstrations,” claimed the prefect of Paris.

Laurent Nuñez also welcomed the use of drones during the demonstration which allowed (them) to determine the presence “within the pre-march, of 4 suspicious, violent, black blocs.” The use of drones by police during the Paris procession on May 1, decided on by the prefecture of police in the wake of a recent decree, had been authorized by the Administrative Tribunal of Paris after the rejection of an appeal brought by organizations for the defense of liberties.