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Clashes erupt at French May Day protests against Macron

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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”.

 

 

 

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Metro

Two die as speeding truck, bus collide on Sagamu-Ore Expressway

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Two persons lost their lives while two others escaped unhurt in a road crash involving a truck and a commercial bus at Ogbere Junction along the Ogbere/J4 corridor of the Sagamu/Ore Expressway in Ogun State on Thursday.

The Federal Road Safety Corps said the accident occurred around 5:10 a.m.

The Ogun State Sector Command Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Odunsi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the crash involved a white Mack truck with registration number ABC 660 XC and an orange Peugeot J5 bus with an unknown registration number.

Odunsi said four adult male occupants were involved in the accident, adding that two of them died while the other two escaped without injuries.

He attributed the crash to route violation and excessive speeding.

According to him, the impact of the collision caused the Peugeot J5 bus to burst into flames, leaving its front section completely burnt.

He added that FRSC rescue operatives arrived at the scene within two minutes of receiving the distress call and immediately began rescue and traffic management operations to prevent further accidents.

“Officials diverted traffic to an alternative carriageway to minimise congestion while efforts were made to clear the wreckage from the road,” Odunsi said.

He added that officers of the Nigeria Police Motor Traffic Division, Ogbere Division, evacuated the bodies of the deceased and deposited them at a nearby mortuary.

Reacting to the tragedy, the Ogun State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, sympathised with the bereaved families and urged motorists to obey traffic rules to avoid needless loss of lives.

He warned drivers against speeding and route violations, especially during periods of poor visibility and on wet roads, stressing that reckless driving remains one of the leading causes of fatal road crashes across the country.

The FRSC also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring safer highways through sustained enforcement of traffic laws, public enlightenment campaigns and prompt emergency response to road crashes.

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Bode Market Fire Heartbreaking, Oseni Sympathises with Victims, Seeks Urgent Relief

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial Candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has expressed profound sympathy with traders affected by the devastating fire that ravaged the Bode Traditional Herbs and Other Products Market, popularly known as Iso Alagbo, in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State.

‎The inferno, which broke out overnight into Friday, swept through the bustling market, destroying shops, traditional herbs, medicinal products and other valuable goods worth millions of naira. By daybreak, many traders were left in tears as the fire reduced years of hard work, sacrifice and lifelong investments to ashes.

‎In a statement issued on Friday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), described the incident as heartbreaking, saying the tragedy had dealt a devastating blow to hardworking men and women whose livelihoods depend on the market.

‎”I received the news of the fire with a heavy heart. My thoughts and prayers are with every trader and family affected by this unfortunate incident. It is deeply painful to imagine that years of dedication, sacrifice and investment could be wiped away within a few hours.

‎”This is more than the destruction of shops and goods. It is the loss of livelihoods, the disruption of family income and the uncertainty of tomorrow for many hardworking people who depend on their businesses for survival. I sincerely share in their pain during this difficult time.

‎”I can only imagine the emotional trauma many of the victims are going through. For many of them, the market is not just a place of business; it is the source of livelihood that sustains their families and secures their future.”, the statement party read.

‎Oseni appealed to the Oyo State Government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), corporate organisations, philanthropists and other well-meaning Nigerians to urgently come to the aid of the affected traders with financial assistance, relief materials and other forms of support to help them rebuild their businesses.

‎”This is a moment for compassion and collective responsibility. I urge governments at all levels, intervention agencies, corporate organisations and kind-hearted Nigerians to extend a helping hand to these traders. A timely intervention will not only help them rebuild their businesses but will also restore hope to families whose means of livelihood have been suddenly taken away.

‎”Together, we can help these hardworking men and women rise again. I am confident that with the support of government and compassionate Nigerians, they will overcome this painful setback and rebuild stronger”, it added.

‎He prayed that God would comfort the victims, strengthen them to bear the painful losses and grant them the courage to rebuild their lives.

‎”I pray that Almighty God restores the losses of every affected trader, grants them renewed strength and opens doors of greater opportunities for them. May He comfort every family affected by this unfortunate incident and protect our markets from such devastating disasters in the future.”

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Tragedy strikes Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: Five die, eight injured in fiery multiple crash

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It was a night of sorrow and devastation in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, as a horrific multiple-vehicle crash along the Ibadan axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway claimed at least five lives and left eight others injured in a fiery chain collision involving trucks, tankers, and smaller vehicles.

The accident occurred at about 10:00 p.m. on Friday around the Satguru Maharaji Ji Village axis, just before the Ibadan Toll Gate, throwing the busy highway into chaos as flames and thick smoke engulfed the scene.

The crash involved six trucks, including gas tankers and trailer units, two Toyota Hilux vans, and two cars, according to emergency officials who described it as one of the most severe road accidents in recent times on the corridor.

Eyewitnesses said the tragedy began when one of the trucks reportedly suffered brake failure and rammed into another vehicle ahead of it, triggering a chain reaction that quickly escalated into a multi-vehicle inferno.

In moments, several vehicles were trapped in the blaze, while terrified motorists and bystanders watched helplessly as the fire spread across the expressway.

Eight persons were rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, said the crash was caused by brake failure which spiralled into a massive fire outbreak.

“Upon arrival, we discovered that the accident involved six trucks (gas tankers and trailer trucks) and two cars, resulting in a fire outbreak,” he said.

“Five persons were recovered dead, while eight others were rescued and handed over to the team of the Federal Road Safety Corps led by SRC Adegbite from Toll Gate, Ibadan, for further medical attention at the nearest hospital.”

Firefighters eventually brought the inferno under control after hours of operation, while security operatives and traffic officials worked to clear wreckage and restore movement on the busy expressway.

Normalcy has since returned to the road, but the tragedy has left behind a grim reminder of the dangers of mechanical failure and unsafe haulage on Nigeria’s busiest highway.

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