'Ridiculous': Tourists irked as pension reform protesters block Paris' Louvre

Record ID: 1717360

  • Title: 'Ridiculous': Tourists irked as pension reform protesters block Paris' Louvre
  • Date: 27th March 2023
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 27, 2023) (REUTERS) POLICE STANDING IN FRONT OF LOUVRE PYRAMID, PENSION REFORM PROTESTERS IN BACKGROUND PROTESTERS CHANTING AND JUMPING BY LOUVRE ENTRANCE PROTESTERS, BANNER READING (French): "We're not retreating" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING VARIOUS OF FLAGS, BANNERS AND PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF LOUVRE PYRAMID PLACARD ON GROUND THAT READS (French): "No to 64 years (new planned pension age)" VARIOUS OF QUEUE OF TOURISTS WHO WERE PREVENTED FROM ENTERING LOUVRE FLYER WITH LOUVRE TICKETING INFORMATION (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM LONDON, JANE, SAYING: "I really understand where they're coming from, and it's fair enough. If they're happy to protest, I completely get where they're coming from. But we all would like to go and see Mona Lisa, but never mind." TOURISTS IN LINE VARIOUS OF TOURIST TALKING TO LOUVRE STAFF MEMBER ABOUR TICKETS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TOURIST FROM MEXICO, SAMUEL, SAYING: “I think this is ridiculous, we come from everywhere around the world with our children to visit a museum, and it’s ridiculous that 20 people are blocking the entrance. It’s unbelievable police are not moving them away so they can protest somewhere else. There are tourists from all the planet here to visit the Louvre with our children, people saving money their entire life to come here, and it’s an absolute shame that because of these people, we can’t get in.” POLICE, PROTESTERS IN BACKGROUND PROTEST IN PROGRESS CGT UNION FLAG NEAR LOUVRE (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM NEW YORK, ISABELLA, SAYING: "Some people have told me that it's more than that (raising the pension age), it's about the government making decisions without the democratic party, and I get that, too. I do get the anger. But at the same time, it just sucks for everyone that's visiting this week, right?"' TOURISTS IN LINE / PROTEST PROTESTERS CHANTING AT ENTRANCE PROTESTERS WITH BANNERS AND FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM PERTH, AUSTRALIA, LANCE CAMPTON, SAYING: "There's always another time. What the guys are doing, it's important, they're obviously fighting for their rights. We're just going to take it with a punch, that's how we're going to roll." PROTESTERS CHEERING PROTESTERS CHANTING AND CLAPPING PROTEST IN FRONT OF LOUVRE PYRAMID
  • Embargoed: 10th April 2023 10:27
  • Keywords: France Louvre Macron pension reform police protest tourists
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Europe,Lawmaking,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001050027032023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Trade union protesters angered over President Emmanuel Macron's move to raise the retirement age without a final vote in parliament blocked the Louvre museum in Paris on Monday (March 27), frustrating crowds of visitors.
    The museum closed its doors to tourists, due to the protest.
    Demonstrating peacefully over Macron's plans to make most French work an extra two years to 64 to balance the pension budget, several dozen protesters gathered at the foot of the Louvre's glass pyramid. One banner read "Retire at 60 - work less to live longer."
    A queue of disappointed tourists snaked through the courtyard.
    “I think this is ridiculous," Mexican tourist, Samuel, said. "There are tourists from all the planet here to visit the Louvre with our children, people saving money their entire life to come here, and it’s an absolute shame that because of these people, we can’t get in.”
    Some were more understanding of the protesters: "I really understand where they're coming from, and it's fair enough," a tourist from London, Jane, who didn't give her last name said. "But we all would like to go and see Mona Lisa, but never mind."
    The protest comes a day ahead of a 10th round of nationwide strikes and street marches and following violence in cities across France over the pension system changes.
    "There's always another time. What the guys are doing, it's important, they're obviously fighting for their rights. We're just going to take it with a punch, that's how we're going to roll," Australian tourist Lance Campton said.
    Seperately, Paris police said it was carrying out an operation to prevent unauthorized gatherings in front of the Centre Pomopidou, another landmark museum in Paris.
    (Production: Marco Trujillo, Horaci Garcia, Ardee Napolitano)
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