MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The protest was organized by several unions, such as CGT, FO, FSU and Solidaires. As many as 120,000 protesters took to the streets of Paris, with 45,000 protesting in Marseille, 10,000 in Bordeaux and 5,000 in Nancy and Nimes.
According to the union, the Eiffel Tower was shut down for the first time since 2010 due to the strike.
#Paris TODAY #protest #manif #workersrights #france #streetphotography #gobang #bibi pic.twitter.com/eZG8XoH2df
— Mikey BiBi (@Mikey_BiBi) April 9, 2015
Local media reported that only 32,000 joined the protests in Paris.
Protest against #austerity to the call of unions CGT, FO, FSU and Solidaires in #Paris,Apr. 9 pic.twitter.com/g6pETzqz7H
— ✌☮#BoycottIsrael☮✌ (@Chara_fc) April 9, 2015
The people called for the improvement of social protection and work conditions, as well as the development of public services. The demonstrators showed their opposition to austerity measures introduced by the government. The protest will continue on Friday, the union stated.
Protest against austerity in #paris pic.twitter.com/bzXoXgoTft
— anne (@annelecor) April 9, 2015
Another day of demonstrations is planned for May 1, the union claimed. The union is calling on the people to mobilize against "disastrous policies that threaten to turn the financial crisis into long-term stagnation and high structural unemployment."
France is currently sticking to its highly unpopular three-year-long austerity plan, aiming to cut spending by $53 billion and bring the national budget deficit down to 3 percent of GDP.
