Protester’s hand ‘blown off by grenade’ as French cops set on fire and 100 officers wounded in May Day pensions riots

COPS were set on fire and over 100 were injured, while one protestor lost a hand to a grenade, in violent clashes across France as riots over pension reforms resumed to mark May Day. The annual French show of discontent on May 1 was the mightiest in 30 years as 2.4million took to the streets to inflict chaos, throw firebombs at riot police and set fire to streets and buildings. SplashMolotov-armed protestors clashed with riot police in Paris and set them on fire[/caption] SplashOver 100 police were wounded in the riots and one had serious burns from being set ablaze[/caption] GettyAnger and fury over Macron’s raising of the retirement age persists in the hearts of millions of French[/caption] Getty‘Increased salaries, not the retirement age’ chanted protestors as they raged over ‘king macron’[/caption] Anger is still burning in the hearts of millions of French who want to tear apart Macron‘s controversial reforms that saw the retirement age raised from 62 to 64 without a parliamentary vote. Anarchy swept up Paris in particular today as rioters and police brutally clashed among smouldering streets and the screams of “Increase salaries, not the retirement age” reverberated around the city. More than 500,000 are claimed to have rampaged in the capital, where police batons, water cannons and tear gas went head-to-head with Molotov-armed protesters. Police were set alight as protestors hurled firebombs at them and one was rushed to hospital with serious burns to his body and face. A protestor in Nantes lost his hand after having it blown up by a stun grenade, The Telegraph reported. Among the looting and burning, one video shows rioters trapped on the roof of a building they had set on fire earlier in the day that had aggressively reignited. For over a century, France’s Labour Day has traditionally involved impassioned workers rallies, often backed by left-wing politicians. Today, saw enraged protestors from all corners of life join arms – some peacefully, others terrifying violently – to rail against “King Macron” and other grievances. French prime minister, Élisabeth Borne condemned the level of violence as “unacceptable”. Gérald Darmanin, the interior minister, said that while some protested peacefully, the police were forced to “face extremely violent thugs who came with one objective: to kill cops and attack the property of others.” Police were reportedly worried by the “Black Bloc” anarchist groups hijacking the protests and intending to take aim at banks and businesses. And some unions have complained of the presence of violent vandals ruining their marches. GettyIn Paris, 500,000 are predicted to have taken to the streets in the biggest May Day show in 30 years[/caption] GettyWhile some May Day marches stayed peaceful, cities like Paris, Nantes and Lyon suffered from the worst of the rioting, looting and burning[/caption] AFPA protestor holds a sign reading ‘shocked by burnt plastic but not by our stolen pensions’[/caption] There have been 13 consecutive Days of Action against the rise in the retirement age, and today was one of the biggest. It was also the first May Day since 2009 that all unions joined together in the demonstrations. “The mobilisation is still very, very strong,” said Laurent Berger, head of the CFDT union. “It is a sign that resentment and anger are not diminishing.” And Francois Ruffin, MP for the hard-left France Unbowed party, said: ‘We are making sure that 2023 goes down in the country’s social history.’ France has been badly shaken by protests, riots and nationwide strikes since Macron announced changes to the pension system in mid-January. From March through to April as Macron pushed the hated reforms through using a emergency presidential decree, riots erupted, simmered and re-energised. Macron called the changes “necessary” to avoid bankruptcy of the nation and vowed in mid-April there would be “no U-turn” on the fraught pension reforms. Huge swaths of the public responded in more fire and fury. After three months, the French leader lugged the law to the finish line on April 15 at great cost to his personal reputation. Almost three in four French people were unhappy with Macron, an IFOP survey found last month. However, it wasn’t just Macron on public trial today as environmental protestors also targeted big business, including a cultural centre in Paris linked to the richest man in the world. The centre is funded by the Louis Vuitton Foundation, which is owned by the 74-year-old multi-billionaire Frenchman, Bernard Arnault. Th spray-paint makeover included the words: “You’re watching direct action against the rich this May Day 2023”. The Extinction Rebellion-linked activists wrote: “All over the world we’ll be hitting the streets in solidarity & resistance. This is how we do it comrades.” Macron’s despised pension laws are due to come into force in September. The government has promised further discussions with union leaders, but prime minister Borne pledged there will be no changes to the pension bill. AFPAggression from both sides came out in full force today[/caption] APParts of Paris are still burning after a day that will go down in May Day’s history[/caption]