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Cinema stormed in Cannes protest
FRENCH showbusiness workers protesting plans to cut their benefits occupied a cinema at the Cannes Film Festival today, leading to clashes with police that left at least six people injured. Police forcibly ousted about 100 protesters who had stormed the Star cinema in downtown Cannes to disrupt the movies and force out filmgoers. Windows at the theatreâs entrance were shattered, and riot police wearing helmets and wielding plastic shields used batons to disperse the crowd, witnesses said. Police said five people were taken into custody. Three officers and three protesters were injured, and one protester was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for a head injury. The protesters had broken off from a broader protest by showbusiness workers. French anti-globalisation activist Jose Bove and US filmmaker Michael Moore, whose documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 is showing at Cannes, joined about 500 others for the peaceful march. Moore, probably thought they were lining up for a feed The scuffles affected screenings in a sideline event at Cannes for distributors, directors, producers and others in the industry. They had no effect on the main conference centre where most movies are shown. Actors, stage hands and others in the performing arts have been locked in a standoff with the French Government over planned reforms to a unique unemployment fund for artists that accounts for downtime between performances. Medef, the powerful French business federation that helps operate the system, has pushed to reduce the benefits. The Government has moved to ease the reforms, but many protesters say not enough has been done. Posted by: tipper 2004-05-15 |
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