The reaction from the street was not long in coming. A few hours after the announcement by the government of the use of article 49.3 to pass the pension reform, numerous spontaneous demonstrations formed everywhere in France. From the Parisian Place de la Concorde to downtown Dijon, via Marseille or Rennes, several thousand people took to the streets to denounce this forced passage. And unlike previous mobilizations, many incidents were observed. According to the Minister of the Interior, 310 people were arrested on Thursday, including 258 in Paris.
The scenario that is emerging has not surprised the specialized services. A note from territorial intelligence published on Monday, and that 20 minutes was able to consult, already believed that the possible use of 49.3 was likely to “contribute to reviving the protest and potentially its radicalization”. As of this Friday morning, road blockages have been observed across the country, in particular on the Paris ring road. In Toulon and Bordeaux, the circulation of trains was interrupted and almost everywhere in France, universities, schools, public buildings were blocked. “The opposition is legitimate, the demonstrations are legitimate, the brothel or the bordélisation, no”, hammered the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, in the morning on RTL.
“Visible Actions”
“We could already feel the processions tightening since the March 7 demonstration with an increased presence of black-blocks and ultra-yellow [frange radicale des “gilets jaunes”], assures a police source. But with this choice of 49.3, union activists could also tend towards a certain radicalization. It remains to be seen what form this will take. Also this Friday, in a first press release deleted a few hours later, the CGT called for “everywhere and particularly Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, visible actions” in order to be in a position of strength before the great mobilization scheduled for Thursday. The blocking of the Paris ring road or the trains in Bordeaux, orchestrated by the union, set the tone. From now on, the CGT calls for “proximity gatherings throughout the weekend”.
In its note, the territorial intelligence also specifies that “yellow vests”, present almost everywhere on the territory, could also be tempted to organize new actions: damage to radars, blocking of roads, free tolls… “Even if we notes the presence of “yellow vests”, the movement is very different from that of 2018 which emanated directly from the base, continues a police source. Here, since the start of the protest, the unions have had a predominant role, there is a form of organization. However, it is difficult to know how the aggregation of the different protest currents will be expressed.
Actions against elected officials
In their note, the territorial intelligence also warned against the multiplication of actions “against the interests of elected officials favorable to the reform project”, in particular violent arrests during their travels or in their permanence.
A sign that these elements are taken very seriously, the Minister of the Interior sent a note to the prefects on Thursday evening asking them to pay particular attention to the security of parliamentarians, with in particular increased surveillance of their offices and residences. “I ask you to firmly maintain the system implemented”, insists the tenant of Place Beauvau.