Top > Business > 2006 > March > 2006-03-30

Protests Turn Violent in French Capital

In full riot gear, armed with tear gas, batons, and water cannons, French police forces continued to quell the chaotic riots ensuing over a controversial youth labor law being brought through the government. The law at the root of the strike is set to take effect next month. More than 20,000 protesters, consisting mostly of young students, some reportedly as young as 15 years old, gathered at the Place de la Republique in Paris in what began as a peaceful march, lasting over the span of the last four days.

Thousands of police were deployed to the square, hoping to prevent a re-enactment of violence in a march last week that resulted in the attack of peaceful demonstrators and police officers. Those opposing the new youth labor law, which allows companies to fire employees younger than 26 without reason in the first two years on the job, feel it will tarnish already embraced and established workplace protections in France.

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy instructed police at the march to arrest as many troublemakers as possible. The nationwide strike has greatly impacted all transportation services across the country. National newspapers are not on sale at newsstands, and radio and television broadcasts are limited. About a third of public school teachers and other education workers are also on strike.