In the rain and facing a large police force, they are there. A few dozen demonstrators gathered this Friday in Dunkirk, in the North, at the call of the Dunkirk inter-union, to demonstrate against the visit planned for the afternoon of President Emmanuel Macron.
Barriers were erected all around the sub-prefecture in front of which the demonstrators, including a few “yellow vests” and CGT and CFDT union activists, were drumming on pots and honking their horns, noted an AFP journalist.
“We are still against pension reform”
Hundreds of police are mobilized to secure the visit of the Head of State, the DDSP told AFP. Emmanuel Macron, who will be accompanied by several ministers, comes to illustrate in Dunkirk his strategy of “reindustrialization” of France.
He must in particular mention the establishment in the city of a battery factory for electric vehicles, the fourth in Hauts-de-France, confirmed overnight by the Taiwanese group ProLogium, for entry into production from the end by 2026. The plant should generate 3,000 direct jobs.
“We are still against the pension reform, underlined among the demonstrators the CGT general secretary of the Maritime Hospital of Zuydcoote, Richard Lorang. Emmanuel Macron is announcing jobs today, but also public money for private companies as part of decarbonization. Besides that, we have our public services which are dying. »
“Individualism” and “announcement effects”
Valérie Minet, “yellow vest” who is soon to be tried for having called Emmanuel Macron “junk” on Facebook, vigorously tapped on a plate, criticizing “individualism” and the “announcement effects” of the president’s policy . “There are many companies that come to settle in France and take advantage of the land made available to them, financial aid. And when they’ve made enough profit to distribute to shareholders, they leave,” she said.
A second rally against Emmanuel Macron’s visit is scheduled for 3 p.m. in the center of Dunkirk.