Parisian protests unlikely to affect BLAST.tv Major
With the Paris Major inching closer and closer, the host city has been a focus of international news thanks to protests stretching back for months over a vital worker's rights issue. Yesterday, protests came to a head as violent clashes with police came out towards the end of a day of peaceful protests.
The union-led protests against President Emmanuel Macron began when the government introduced a bill in 2022 that would increase the age of retirement from 62 to 64, beginning in 2023. With opposition from the public, the first protests began in January and have stretched through to May, with no end clearly in sight.
Two days ago, protests reached an apex on the occasion of Labour Day, a French holiday traditionally known for unions, worker's groups, and other similar parties to celebrate by staging marches and parades advocating for further rights of the working class. Yesterday's protests, which focused around the French government pushing the retirement age upwards, devolved into chaos as violence ensued.
According to the Confédération Générale du Travai (CGT), a worker's union party in France, more than 2.3 million people took to the streets across France with over 550,000 in the capital alone.
However, no further protests are planned for the month of May, with the next one being on June 6th, well after the BLAST.tv Paris Major finishes. Protests in Paris have been meticulously scheduled in advance and it appears that given the next scheduled demonstration occuring after the conclusion of the Major, international visitors will not be affected by the political unrest.
During the latter stages of the protests yesterday, protestors clashed with Paris police as they threw Molotov cocktails and fireworks. Additionally, protesters set fire to construction items and damaged bus stations. Police responded to the violence with tear gas and charging the protesters.
The end of the protest took place near Place de la Nation, which is where the police and protesters began to clash and is located only two kilometers northeast from the Accor Arena, where the playoffs for the Major are scheduled to take place.
Fortunately for visitors, the protests should have little to no impact on the actual event itself. The dates of protests are advertised in advance and are unlikely to directly impact travel to the degree that would make it impossible for visitors to attend the playoffs.
The Major is scheduled to begin on May 8th with several international teams making their way into France's capital city shortly.
