81 arrests in Paris, 7 in Lyon and thousands of demonstrators everywhere in France

Third evening of protest, after the activation of 49.3 by the government. Opponents of the pension reform expressed their anger on Saturday March 18 at several rallies organized throughout France. In Paris, around 4,000 demonstrators marched in the south of the capital, around Place d’Italie, after the police headquarters banned gatherings in Place de la Concorde (located near the National Assembly and less than one kilometer from the Elysée) and on the Champs-Elysées.

Clashes between police and demonstrators in the evening on the sidelines of this demonstration. In all, 81 people were arrested. Earlier in the evening, 10 other people were arrested at Place de la Concorde.

Seven arrests in Lyon

Incidents also broke out in Lyon where 400 to 500 young people, gathered at the call of the ultra left, came under tear gas as they tried to seize construction equipment, AFP noted. Seven arrests took place in the middle of the evening.

In Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) and Brest (Finistère), the demonstrations were marked by tensions with the police. In Nantes, where between 6,000 and 15,000 opponents of the pension reform, according to the police or the unions, marched, the police, targets of bottle throwing, responded with tear gas while flaming garbage cans ended up on the tram tracks. In Brest, where between 5,000 and 8,000 people were counted, a wild demonstration followed the union rally, resulting in the firing of tear gas.

In the regions, from large cities to medium-sized towns, similar gatherings took place in Amiens, Caen, Saint-Etienne, Roanne, Besançon, Dijon, Grenoble, Gap, Annecy, Lodève.