Metro
Clashes erupt at French May Day protests against Macron
Protesters clashed with security forces across France on Monday as hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets for Labour Day to vent their anger against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform.
Unions had been hoping for a vast turnout nationwide to further rattle Macron, who has been greeted by pot-bashing and jeers as he toured the country seeking to defend the reforms and relaunch his second term.
Macron last month signed a law to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, despite months of strikes against the bill.
At least 108 police were wounded and 291 people detained across France as violence erupted in several cities on the sidelines of the main union-led marches, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters.
In Paris, radical protesters threw projectiles at police and broke windows of businesses such as banks and estate agents, with security forces responding with tear gas and water cannon, AFP correspondents said.
As police sought to disperse the protest at its endpoint, some individuals created a fire that spread to a building and prompted the fire service to intervene.
‘Extremely rare’
Riot Police look towards a burning barricade amid clashes with protestors during a demonstration on May Day (Labour Day), to mark the international day of workers, more than a month after the government pushed an unpopular pensions reform act through parliament, in Nantes, northwestern France, on May 1, 2023. – Opposition parties and trade unions have urged protesters to maintain their three-month campaign against the law that will hike the retirement age to 64 from 62. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP)
Police had been given a last-minute go-ahead to use drones as a security measure after a Paris court rejected a petition from rights groups for them not to be used.
Security forces deployed tear gas in Toulouse in southern France as tensions erupted during demonstrations, while four cars were set on fire in the southeastern city of Lyon.
In the western city of Nantes, police also fired tear gas after protesters hurled projectiles, AFP correspondents said. The windows of Uniqlo clothing store were smashed.
Protesters briefly occupied the luxury InterContinental hotel in the southern city of Marseille, breaking flowerpots and damaging furniture.
“In many cities in France, this May Day was a moment for responsible mobilisation and commitment. The scenes of violence on the sidelines of the demonstrations are all the more unacceptable,” Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne wrote on Twitter.
Darmanin added that such a high toll of police wounded was “extremely rare” for a May 1 protest day.
He said one policeman who was hit by a Molotov cocktail had received burns to the face and hands but his life was not in danger.
Some 782,000 people protested across France, including 112,000 in Paris alone, the interior ministry said. The CGT union said it counted 2.3 million protesters across France, including 550,000 in the capital.
The turnout was massively higher than May Day last year but smaller than the biggest protests seen against the pension reform this year.
‘Still Very Strong’
A protestor fires fireworks as they clash with riot police during a demonstration on May Day (Labour Day), to mark the international day of workers, more than a month after the government pushed an unpopular pensions reform act through parliament, in Nantes, northwestern France, on May 1, 2023. – Opposition parties and trade unions have urged protesters to maintain their three-month campaign against the law that will hike the retirement age to 64 from 62. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP)
Macron and his government have tried to move on from the months of popular discontent, hoping to relaunch his second term after the reform was signed into law.
“The page is not going to be turned as long as there is no withdrawal of this pension reform. The determination to win is intact,” said CGT chief Sophie Binet at the Paris protest.
“The mobilisation is still very, very strong,” added Laurent Berger, head of the CFDT union.
“It is a sign that resentment and anger are not diminishing.”
Monday marked the first time since 2009 that all eight of France’s main unions joined in calling for protests.
‘Red card’ to Macron
France has been rocked by a dozen days of nationwide strikes and protests against Macron and his pension changes since mid-January, some of which have turned violent.
When Macron attended the final of the French football cup on Saturday, he was met with activists waving red cards.
Almost three in four French people were unhappy with Macron, a survey by the IFOP polling group found last month.
Borne, with Macron’s support, invoked in March the controversial article 49.3 of the constitution to ram the pension reform through parliament without a vote in the hung lower house.
In the Place de la Republique where the Paris march started, a huge vest with the slogan “Macron resign” was fixed to the giant statue symbolising the French republic at its centre.
“The law has been passed but has not been accepted, there is a desire to show discontent peacefully to have a reaction in response that shows a certain level of decency,” said Celine Bertoni, 37, an academic in the central city of Clermont-Ferrand.
May Day demonstrations on a smaller and less fractious scale took place across Europe, including Spain where flag-waving demonstrators joined more than 70 rallies under the slogan: “Raise wages, lower prices and share profits”.
Customers of Zenith Bank have taken to social media to voice their frustration over difficulties encountered during online banking transactions.
Reports emerged on Tuesday of challenges related to payments and various features, leading to widespread discontent among users on social media platforms like X.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday, Zenith Bank announced that routine maintenance would commence on September 29 and conclude on October 1, running from 12:01 AM to 5:00 AM. The notice, titled ‘Notice of Routine Maintenance,’ stated, “Please be informed that we are currently undertaking routine maintenance of our Information Technology Infrastructure to enable us to significantly improve the quality of service rendered to you.”
However, customers reported that the maintenance did not begin as scheduled, causing considerable inconvenience.
On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the bank’s Mobile Banking App, USSD Service, Internet Banking, and Corporate Internet Banking platforms remained unavailable for an extended period, specifically between 12:01 AM and 2:30 PM WAT.
One dissatisfied customer, Adetunji Akeem, expressed his frustration, sharing that he was unable to withdraw money for food and transportation to work, which forced him to borrow from colleagues.
“It is frustrating. I haven’t eaten all day because I wasn’t able to withdraw money today. Zenith said they would be undergoing maintenance on Saturday through a pop-up message on the bank app, but they didn’t start until this morning,” he lamented.
Another customer, Adeleye A. P., known on X as #deji4ever, criticised the bank for not scheduling maintenance during the night, especially at the end of the month when many employees are expecting their salaries.
He tweeted, “The worst bank award should be given to Zenith. Why deny customers transfer privileges to other banks on the last day of the month? It’s a bad business strategy to ensure money doesn’t leave its coffers.”
Dave Oriss, tweeting under the handle #orissonline, echoed similar sentiments, adding, “#ZenithBank, you should keep frustrating your customers. Some have emergencies, and you are busy shifting the time for maintenance.”
Iran fired 200 missiles, including hypersonic weapons, at Israel in a major escalation of the ongoing conflict, state television reported on Wednesday.
The barrage, which Iran claims targeted military bases near Tel Aviv, came as retaliation for the recent killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israeli forces.
This picture shows a projectile flying above the Jordanian capital Amman towards Israel, on October 1, 2024. – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a missile attack under way against Israel on October 1 was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the missile launches, stating that “90 percent” of the projectiles hit their intended targets, which included three military bases.
The footage of the missile strikes was broadcast on Iranian media, showing a significant show of force by Tehran.
This picture taken from the West Bank city of Hebron shows projectiles above the Israeli city of Ashdod on October 1, 2024. (Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP)
The Israeli military countered that 180 missiles had been fired into their territory, with most being intercepted by Israel’s advanced defense systems.
Despite the intercepts, the attack marks the first reported use of hypersonic missiles by Iran against Israel.
This picture shows projectiles being intercepted by Israel above Jerusalem on October 1, 2024. (Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP)
Hypersonic missiles, capable of traveling at speeds of up to 15 times the speed of sound, pose a unique threat due to their low-altitude flight path and ability to evade conventional missile defenses.
Iran unveiled this advanced missile technology in June 2023, with then-president Ebrahim Raisi proclaiming it as a cornerstone of Iran’s deterrence capabilities, designed to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded swiftly to the attack, warning that Tehran had made a “big mistake.” He vowed to make Iran “pay” for the strikes, further raising tensions in an already volatile situation.
Fire erupts between Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv and the city of Modiin following an Iranian missile attack, on October 1, 2024. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a missile attack under way against Israel on October 1 was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)
In Washington, the United States indicated that it was discussing a joint response with Israel.
Meanwhile, Iran’s chief of staff issued a stern warning that Tehran would strike key Israeli infrastructure if Iran’s territory were attacked in retaliation. The region now braces for potential further escalation amid growing fears of a broader conflict.
No fewer than 60 bodies have been recovered following a tragic boat accident in Niger State, officials confirmed.
According to a statement released by Abubakar Dakani, Press Secretary to the Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, the boat was carrying over 300 passengers when it capsised at the notorious Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area yesterday evening.
Dakani disclosed that the ill-fated boat was en route from Mundi to Gbajibo for the Annual Maulud celebration when the disaster occurred.
The Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, Abdullahi Muregi, acknowledged the recovery of about 60 bodies and confirmed that 10 survivors have been found so far. Rescue operations, involving the State Emergency Management Agency and local volunteers, are ongoing in a bid to recover the missing passengers.
This incident brings painful memories of a similar boat tragedy in September 2023, when a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized, killing 24 people who were traveling to their farms for harvest.
Authorities have expressed concerns about the recurring boat accidents in the region, calling for urgent measures to improve safety on the waterways.
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