FRANCE: Thousands of student protesters clash with riot police in Paris outside Sorbonne University over new employment law

Record ID: 858744

  • Title: FRANCE: Thousands of student protesters clash with riot police in Paris outside Sorbonne University over new employment law
  • Date: 17th March 2006
  • Summary: PETROL BOMB LANDS UNDERNEATH POLICE VAN BEHIND BARRIER, RIOT POLICE KICK IT AWAY
  • Embargoed: 1st April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADZN4S04M1J3520OYK2WB1NHCL
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Clashes between protesters and riot police erupted in central Paris hours after a demonstration march against a new government youth jobs law was kick-started by thousands of university and high school students on Thursday (March 16).
    Stone-throwing protesters clashed with police at the end of a march by several thousand university and high school students in Paris and later outside the Sorbonne university. A kiosk was set ablaze and several shop windows were smashed.
    French riot police used teargas and water cannon at a group of protesters who tried to break a security barrier.
    Some police agents appeared slightly wounded after rioters threw stones at them. A street sign was also used in an attempt to break the police street blockage.
    Protesters are objecting a new government youth jobs law introducing a 2-year contract for under-26 which can be broken at any time by the employers. Students say the law grants no job protection to the youth.
    French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, whose popularity dropped after weeks of unrest in the country's universities, said the new law would reduce France's youth unemployment rate, now running at 22.8 percent, more than twice the overall national rate.
    Protests across France have gathered in momentum since hundreds of thousands of protesters turned out on March 7 against the law, which critics say reduces job protection for young people. The protests have been largely peaceful so far.
    Student leaders said 300,000 to 600,000 marched across France and that 64 of the country's 84 universities were hit by the protests. Officials reported 247,500 protesters nationwide.
    A heavy police presence showed up along the rally's route after a series of violent clashes and acts of vandalism inside occupied universities in the past few days raised concern over possible infiltration of troublemakers within the student movement.
    Nine police officers were hurt outside the Sorbonne university, in central Paris, in a protest rally two days ago.
    The Sorbonne university, where the massive 1968 French student protest was started, was occupied by striking students last week-end.
    Some of the prestigious university's equipment and ancient books were vandalized during the one-night occupation.
    Street protests can make or break governments in France. Protests in 1995 badly undermined the then conservative Prime Minister Alain Juppe, who lost snap elections two years later.
    Trade unions plan another action day on Saturday and hope to top the one million protesters they estimated took part in the March 7 protests. Police estimates were half that figure.
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