French people take to the streets to protest against austerity policies
On April 9, hundreds of thousands of French people took to the streets to participate in a protest and general strike organized by the French CGT union.
 |
| Protest against austerity policies in Paris. Source: euronews.com |
The protest was aimed at opposing the government's austerity policies and spending cuts, which they said would severely weaken the purchasing power of households - the main growth engine of the second-largest economy in the Eurozone.
In nationwide protests, workers in both the public and private sectors took to the streets in major cities across France, according to CGT.
An estimated 120,000 people participated in the demonstration in Paris. Meanwhile, about 150,000 people participated in 80 demonstrations across France.
In the southern French city of Marseille, organizers estimated that about 45,000 people participated. In Lyon, France's second largest city, 7,000 people also participated in the activity.
Protests and general strikes across the country also brought transport to a standstill while some schools were closed for safety reasons.
In Paris and many neighboring cities, more than 2,000 flights were delayed or canceled. The Eiffel Tower was also forced to close due to fears of riots.
According to Vietnam+
