Violence has become a tragic tradition in the Labor Day street celebrations in Paris and across France, as the number of casualties during clashes between police and protesters seems to rise with every year that passes.

In 2022, about 2.3 million people, including 550 000 in Paris, took part in demonstrations, according to the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), using the famous International Workers’ Day to denounce the hugely unpopular changes to France’s pension system that were signed into law that year.

In Paris, tensions arose from the start of the demonstration at Place de la République, with projectiles being thrown at the police and several businesses being ransacked. The violence resulted in police arresting 54 people, and eight police officers being injured, according to the Interior Ministry.

The violent riots related to pension reform did not start with the traditional Labor Day marches though. Earlier in2022, civil unrest incidents were organised by opponents of the pension reform bill proposed by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne’s government, which wouldincrease the retirement age from 62 to 64 years old.