Paris Descends Into Chaos as Riot Police Deploy Grenades and Water Cannons Against Striking Firefighters (Videos)
Striking French firefighters faced off against riot police who deployed water cannons and smoke grenades, and erected large metal barriers to block off the fire service as they protested in Paris on Tuesday.
Several thousand firefighters protested understaffing, the threat to their government pensions and a lack of recognition of their work, including risk premiums that match those of the police and the gendarmerie.
Police decried the fact that many protesting firefighters had abandoned the prearranged route, and it didn’t take long before the march descended into clashes with riot police.
Police repeatedly deployed a variety of crowd control grenades despite several controversies stemming from their use against both the Yellow Vest protesters and the pension reform protesters.
Utilisation massive de #GM2L vers porte de Vincennes où les #pompiers essayent de passer les grilles. #PompiersEnColère @davduf @Maxime_Reynie pic.twitter.com/RXg6xzrp4d
— Alexandre Horn (@Alexandre_HRN) January 28, 2020
Un #PompiersEnColere grimpe sur le Canon à eau. Juste après la vidéo il se prend un tir de LBD40. Pas de blessures graves #pompiers #greve28janvier pic.twitter.com/zFutzgdmbi
— Jonathan Moadab (@MoadabJ) January 28, 2020
RELATED CONTENT: Macron’s Regime Repress Protesters in Paris Again
#Pompiers et journalistes visés le canon à eau. Désolé pour l'insulte mais se faire asperger n'est pas très agréable #greve28janvier #PompiersEnColere pic.twitter.com/AmdaxsaOmo
— Jonathan Moadab (@MoadabJ) January 28, 2020
Les #pompiers font une brèche dans le mur anti émeutes. Repoussés par le canon à eau. Vidéo coupée par le Canon #greve28janvier #PompiersEnColère pic.twitter.com/XeGeR7kxtx
— Jonathan Moadab (@MoadabJ) January 28, 2020
At one point, multiple firefighters symbolically set themselves on fire in protest at government pension reforms.
