between 600,000 and 800,000 demonstrators expected in France this Thursday, March 23, according to territorial information

Between 600,000 and 800,000 demonstrators are expected Thursday, March 23 in France for the 9th day of interprofessional strike against the pension reform, according to a note from territorial information that franceinfo was able to consult on Wednesday. Following the use of 49.3, and the “insurrectional climate that has been established in recent days”the information fears in particular overflows in a dozen cities in France such as Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Rennes, Lille or Caen.

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Three hundred and twenty actions are announced throughout France. In Paris, territorial intelligence expects between 40,000 and 70,000 people mobilized. They estimate that 400 to 600 yellow vests and 400 to 600 “radical elements”, will be present in the procession which will set off at 2 p.m. from the Place de la Bastille to reach the Place de l’Opéra. According to the rating: “trade unions are concerned about an outbreak of violence by radical elements” at the head of the procession. Therefore, this violence could “paralyze the smooth running of the demonstration”.

Actions by ultra-left activists feared

Territorial intelligence fears a significant participation of “young troublemakers”, yellow vests or ultra-left protest activists in Lyon and Nantes as well as in several cities in France. In Rennes, they estimate that 400 people from the protest movement “will try to attack the shops in the city center”. In Lille, 400 ultra-left activists at the head of the procession could “provoke the police”. They also point out the potential presence of people “hooded” in Caen (400) and Angers (250) who could attack the police and banks. The cities of Dijon, Grenoble, Nancy, Le Puy-en-Velay, Chambéry, Metz, Mulhouse, Gap, Pau and Auch are also mentioned.