Two journalists from franceinfo went to the Parisian demonstration against the pension reform on Tuesday. One on the side of the police, the other on the side of the demonstrators, who deliver a different point of view.
The 76 mobile gendarmes of the Drancy squadron supervised almost all the demonstrations against the retirement law. Tuesday, March 28, on the 10th day of the mobilization against the disputed reform, two hours before departure, boulevard Voltaire, Lieutenant Adrien briefs his men: “We don’t respond to provocations, we don’t talk to the opponent. We stay stoic, we let him talk. Then: proportionate use of force. Do you have any questions? At 1 p.m., everyone is equipped, ready for the mission!”
>> Find here the latest developments on the disputed pension reform
Comes the time to equip yourself: leggings, bulletproof vest. “If it stays calm, we won’t put on the helmetcomments a policeman. It depends on events.” The equipment weighs its weight: “I think we’re not far from ten kilos, smiled the constable. At the end of the demonstration, it’s hot!” The clocks display 2:06 p.m. and, supported by a megaphone, an order is issued to the squadron’s address: “Be ready to move towards Nation!” The blue vans begin to drive in front, followed by the gendarmes on foot who set the pace for the procession.
This time, no clashes in the pre-cortege
An hour later, in the pre-procession, several hundred meters in front of the unions, the demonstrators walk behind the gendarmes. Last week, it was at this level of the procession that clashes broke out, with, pell-mell, movements of black blocks, yellow vests, ultra-left and punk demonstrators. Charges of police violence, too, or disproportionate use of force. Tuesday, at the front of the procession, a young man broadcasts a piece of the Sex Pistols. He is “still in terminal”, after bad orientation choices: “I am a pacifist, he indicates. Those who want to do it violently, free to them. Me, I’m there peacefully, to put on some music.”
A little further, the proximity of the gendarmes, who set the pace for the march, does not please everyone. “We’re like sheep, and what’s more, it’s dangerous what they’re doing!”plagues Jean-Yvon, teacher.
“They are there by provocation, so that the young people get into them. If they are not there, it is going very well!”
Jean-Yvon, teacherat franceinfo
“We are not in summer camp here, we are not obliged to follow them, these people, especially since if they charge, they are not going to give us a present”, concludes Jean-Yvon. It is he, a regular at demonstrations, who will calm the most excited young demonstrators at the front of this procession. Moreover, the group let slip the gendarmes, to the great surprise of the latter. “I don’t know why they stopped, it’s the first time I’ve seen this!, commented, doubtfully, Captain Frédéric. For us it’s comfortable because we keep a distance and it avoids all the projectiles and others that we can receive. It’s perfect !”
The discretion of the police allows appeasement
And that avoids raising the tension. The police, at the same time, take parallel streets, out of sight of the demonstrators. The head of the procession advances, rather calm, with the exception of a few firecrackers. A police commissioner is shot in the calf. At 3:33 p.m., the procession arrived at Place de la Nation, in the 20th arrondissement of Paris. Captain Frédéric’s gendarmes move towards the left of the square. “They have the right to demonstrate until 7 p.m., explains the officer. We must hold this avenue and a street to prevent them from passing in that direction.”
There are three hours left before the dispersal of the demonstration. A hesitation has won the place: the most virulent of the demonstrators are trying to light a trash fire here, there to break a window, without really managing to create a real movement. Apart from a few sporadic interventions, police and gendarmes remain in the background. Among the demonstrators there is the feeling that it was their discretion that allowed the gathering to be peaceful until the order to disperse.
During the dispersion, tear gas and muscular charges
The latter is launched by a commissioner using a megaphone: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is the end of the demonstration: you can leave the Place de la Nation by the different axes, thank you!” During the dispersion, we observe a few throwing of projectiles, a few bursts of tear gas and a few muscular charges from the police. But there are also exchanges between demonstrators and the police. Like Léa and Johanne, two young women from Seine-Saint-Denis, who discuss police violence with Captain Frédéric: “At the beginning, we don’t really dare to go see them, indicates the first. We thought it would be nice to have their point of view. We do what we want with it, but it’s still nice to have a productive conversation. He was very open!”
“I do not agree, slice a protester. I tried to discuss with them, to explain our actions to them. But most of them do not know the legal framework of our action: they do not know our rights and do not know their duties.