Bin strikes leave rubbish in streets

PROTESTS were continuing in France against President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reform, as rubbish continued to reek in the streets of Paris and beyond owing to continuing action by refuse collectors.

An eerie calm returned to Paris on Saturday after two nights of thousandsstrong protests across the French capital, with one flash point at the elegant Place de la Concorde where angry protesters threw an effigy of Macron into a bonfire to cheers from the crowd on Friday night.

Police dispersed crowds with tear gas and water cannons and there were hundreds of arrests.

Protesters are trying to pressure lawmakers to bring down Macron’s government and kill the unpopular retirement age increase he is trying to impose without a vote in the National Assembly.

Further protests were planned on Saturday in Paris as well as in Marseille and Nantes, but they were expected to be smaller than in previous days.

In Paris’ 12th district on Saturday rubbish piled up just feet away from a bakery, wafting fumes encouraged by the mild weather and sunshine.

Some Parisians blamed Macron’s administration.

“The government should change its position and listen to the people because what is happening is extremely serious, said Isabelle Vergriette, 64, a psychologist. “We are seeing a radicalisation. The government is largely responsible for this.”

The district’s mayor, Emmanuelle Pierre-Marie, was out and about from the crack of dawn voicing concern in her neighbourhood about the consequences of the refuse pile-up.