On January 19, 2023, protesters strike against the new pension bill in Paris that raises the retirement age from 62 to 64 years of age. Thousands of people marched in opposition to the bill, causing the Eiffel Tower to close. According to an NPR article, the protesters aimed to “destroy, kill, and injure.”

France isn’t the only city hosting these protests; Rennes, Bordeaux, and Toulouse are also experiencing demonstrations. Police knocked out a man during an anti-pension bill protest in Paris on March 28th. Footage of the knockout went viral on social media, showing the police stopping and assisting the man.

“The French are known to have a lot of protests and defend democracy when something bad happens. They have an excellent reputation for getting together and striking, shutting things down. Usually, they can get what they want, but this time they didn’t get that because President Macron was able to bypass what the people wanted,” comments Woodgrove Social Science and Global Studies teacher Alex Bennett.

Employees have been striking since mid-January. As reported in a news article by Reuters, the union was said to be striking against the bill on the 6th of April. At least 70% of France is against the legislation.

When questioned about this issue, approximately fifteen different Woodgrove students stated to have never heard of the Paris pension reforms.