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Firemen and police clash in Paris
French police have fired tear gas and water cannon at firemen protesting against cuts in their pensions, three days before a regional election expected to punish the ruling conservatives over reforms. Riot police hid behind shields on Thursday as bottles and other objects thrown by a few hundred firemen wearing helmets and uniforms rained down on them in a square in front of Parisâs ornate 19th century opera house, the Palais Garnier. The confrontations lasted more than two hours but police said there were no serious injuries. The bitter end to a noisy march by several thousand firemen highlighted the depth of feeling over cost-cutting that has made Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarinâs team unpopular. "Itâs a dangerous job and weâre tired of the government not appreciating us," one angry fireman said as his colleagues were hosed down. "Itâs no surprise it turned violent." The firemenâs march was the latest in a wave of protests over reforms, wage demands and unemployment as the government tries to cut its public deficit.Posted by: TS 2004-03-25 |
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