Police and demonstrators have clashed during a post-vote protest in Paris against President-elect Emmanuel Macron, as well as new labor reforms. Images and videos from the scene show officers beating some of the demonstrators.
“He is not our president”, “Say No to the new labor reform!”, “Say No to repression”, read the banners held by demonstrators.
Representatives of trade unions, left wing groups, as well as anti-fascists and anarchists are taking part in the rally, according to French media.
“It’s not a president, it’s a CEO who was elected”, Michael Wamen from a branch of the General Confederation of Labor in Macron’s native city of Amiens told AFP.
“En Marche! is pushing towards social war” said another banner held by protesters. The En Marche! political party was created by Macron in 2016 after he stepped down as Economy Minister under Francois Hollande’s government to join the presidential race.
Activists announced before the presidential run-off that they would demonstrate regardless of who won, saying that both Macron’s and rival Marine Le Pen’s policies are anti-social.
The protest was partially organized on Facebook by the Front Social political movement.
“The next President of the Republic is already preparing his anti-social policy,” the movement wrote on its Facebook page, “We... tell him that we will not let him implement his policy.”
“The country is not a company,” other banners read, apparently referring to Macron’s career in finance and banking.
“I left a blank ballot,” one of the protesters told FranceInfo, saying he was against both of the candidates that made it to the second round of the elections.
Sputnik France reported that one of its journalists had been attacked by police at the protest. “We were beaten up. They [police] beat up everyone, including journalists. They took my helmet away from me and nearly damaged my phone,” the correspondent said.
On Sunday, Emmanuel Macron won the presidential elections with 66.1 percent of the vote, while his rival Marine Le Pen received 33.9 percent, the French Interior Ministry said, citing final results.