In pictures: Rubbish and fires in French protests

24 March 2023

France pension reforms

King Charles has postponed his first state visit to France after protests over pension reform turned violent.

Huge numbers of people have taken part in demonstrations across France over legislation to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Rubbish in a Paris street during a protest against pension reform.

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Firefighters checks rubbish after extinguishing a fire during a demonstration, a week after the government pushed a pensions reform through parliament without a vote, using the article 49.3 of the constitution, in Paris on March 23, 2023. - Some 1.089 million protesters took part in demonstrations in France on March 23, 2023, against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform, the interior ministry said, with 119,000 marching in Paris alone

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Refuse collectors have been on strike for over two weeks in several cities, with Paris seeing thousands of tonnes of uncollected rubbish on the streets.

A woman stands next to burnt rubbish in a street the day after clashes during protests over French government's pension reform in Paris, France, March 24, 2023.

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A man walks past a burnt store and damages in a street the day after clashes during protests over French government's pension reform in Paris, France, March 24, 2023.

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Some protesters set fire to the piles of rubbish on Thursday - the clean up began early Friday morning.

Employees clean up burnt garbage and damage in a street the day after clashes during protests over French government's pension reform in Paris, France, March 24, 2023.

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A view shows burnt rubbish and damage in a street the day after clashes during protests over French government's pension reform in Paris, France, March 24, 2023.

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A cyclist rides her bicycle past a burnt store and damage in a street the day after clashes during protests over French government's pension reform in Paris, France, March 24, 2023.

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Demonstrations in central Paris were peaceful, but some groups smashed shop windows, burnt rubbish and clashed with riot police.

Protester hold a flare on the place de l opera during a demonstration, a week after the government pushed a pensions reform through parliament without a vote, using the article 49.3 of the constitution, in Paris on March 23, 2023.

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Burning barricades on the place de l opera during a demonstration in Paris on March 23, 2023.

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Firefighters extinguish a fire during a demonstration, after the pension reform was adopted as the French Parliament rejected two motions of no-confidence against the government, in Paris, France, March 21, 2023.

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BRAV-M (Brigade de Repression de l'Action Violente - Mobile) riot police officers run behind a burning barricade on March 23, 2023 in Paris

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Protesters shield their eyes from tear gas during a demonstration, a week after the government pushed a pensions reform through parliament without a vote, using the article 49.3 of the constitution, in Paris on March 23, 2023.

Lafargue Raphael/ABACA/REX/Shutterstock

In the city of Bordeaux, people gathered against the reform and chanted: "Macron, resign!"

Protesters clash with riot police during a demonstration, a week after the government pushed a pensions reform through parliament without a vote, using the article 49.3 of the constitution, in Bordeaux, south western France, on March 23, 2023.

Moritz Thibaud/ABACA/REX/Shutterstock

Riot police arrest a person during the demonstration against pension reform took place in Bordeaux on Thursday, March 23, 2022. There were several clashes between the demonstrators and the police, and at the end of the demonstration, trash fires were set

Fabien Pallueau/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

A fire engulfed the front door of the Bordeaux town hall on Thursday evening.

People look at the Bordeaux town hall in flames during a demonstration as part of the ninth day of nationwide strikes and protests against the French government's pension reform, in Bordeaux, France, March 23, 2023, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.

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