May Day mayhem: Protesters and riot cops battle in the streets of Lyon (VIDEOS)
May Day protests in the French city of Lyon got out of hand, with black-clad anarchists clashing with armored riot police. Tear gas was fired and squads of cops charged at demonstrators. In Paris, Yellow Vests came out in force.
Trade unions and workers’ groups took to the streets of Lyon on Saturday to mark International Workers’ Day. Waving red banners, an estimated 3,000 workers were soon joined by black-clad anarchist protesters, who reportedly clashed with the larger groups of demonstrators.
C'est parti à Lyon ! Malgré la pluie la manifestation du 1er mai fait le plein ! #1erMai#Fetedutravail#FeteDesTravailleurspic.twitter.com/mtOFC88ibc
— Bill Denbrough (@Bismuthback) May 1, 2021
Marching toward Place Bellecour in the center of the city, the procession found its way blocked by riot police. Scuffles soon broke out between the more militant anarchists and the police, who charged at the crowd several times.
Charge sans sommation et sans motif de la police qui tente d'arracher les banderoles à la tête de cortège ! #Lyon#1erMai#Fetedutravail#FeteDesTravailleurspic.twitter.com/Gz4assaVfI
— Bill Denbrough (@Bismuthback) May 1, 2021
Nouvelle charge sans sommation ! Cette fois ci carrément jusqu'à la CGT. #Lyon#1erMai#Fetedutravail#FeteDesTravailleurspic.twitter.com/vydwcsIeOC
— Bill Denbrough (@Bismuthback) May 1, 2021
As officers pushed the crowd back, some protesters resisted, and were met with batons and shields. Video footage shows the cops clubbing some protesters and dragging them off the street. French media reported at least four arrests by early afternoon.
#Lyon : des affrontements éclatent lors de ce défilé du #1erMai . « Un groupe hostile dispersé » selon les policiers 🎥 @JDANDOU@lyonmagpic.twitter.com/5mlDL9DOIO
— Lyon Mag (@lyonmag) May 1, 2021
#1erMai#Lyon : de nouveaux affrontements éclatent après quelques dégradations . Des interpellations réalisées par les policiers 🎥 @JDANDOU@lyonmagpic.twitter.com/qPUjQbkBpV
— Lyon Mag (@lyonmag) May 1, 2021
When the procession finally reached Place Bellecour, the atmosphere was festive. Protesters danced, played drums and waved brightly colored umbrellas. However, police soon broke up the party with clouds of tear gas, after some demonstrators reportedly damaged protective panels around a statue of Louis XVI.
#1erMai#Lyon : la police fait usage de gaz lacrymogènes en cette fin de #manifestation après de légères dégradations sur les panneaux de protection de la statue de Louis XIV @lyonmagpic.twitter.com/d15iZBRNJZ
— Julien Damboise (@JDANDOU) May 1, 2021
Malgré les gazs lacrymos la #Fetedutravail se prolonge un peu place bellecour. #Lyon#FeteDesTravailleurs#1erMaipic.twitter.com/VlfAevbJWF
— Bill Denbrough (@Bismuthback) May 1, 2021
Similar demonstrations are being held in Paris, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and Marseille, with several thousand participants reported in each city. Paris already saw running street battles between riot police and a gathering of anarchists and Yellow Vests protesters. Using tear gas and batons, the cops managed to break up the group, with the stragglers rejoining the trade unions and workers’ groups afterwards, according to Le Parisien.
PARIS - Tensions entre #GiletsJaunes et forces de l’ordre. Les manifestants tentent de partir en manif sauvage. Intervention de la BRAVM puis gaz lacrymogène. #1erMai2021pic.twitter.com/BUTfEYARKY
— Clément Lanot (@ClementLanot) May 1, 2021
Rather than focusing on one specific issue, May Day is usually a clearinghouse for leftist dissent of all kinds, and across the country, protesters came together to air a spectrum of grievances. Some protested their wages and working conditions, others marched against new security bills that would dramatically extend the police’s surveillance powers and criminalize the sharing of pictures of officers. Still more protested the government’s perceived inaction against climate change and response to Covid-19.
French President Emmanuel Macron has seen his approval rating slide to 37% in the most recent polls, down from 43% at the beginning of the year. Opposition to his leadership hasn’t just come from the left either. Late last month, a group of 20 retired generals penned a letter accusing Macron of allowing Islamist “hordes” to push France toward civil war. Some 58% of French people agree with the generals’ warning, according to a poll published on Thursday by LCI TV.
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