The Paris police authorities have announced this afternoon that chief Laurent Núñez has decreed that the planned trade union-organised protest against retirement reforms at tomorrow’s Coupe de France final will be banned.
The Seine Saint-Denis trade unions had been planning to distribute red cards outside the Stade de France for fans to brandish at president Emmanuel Macron, in a show of dissent at the recent law raising the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 progressively over the course of the next 7 years. According to the AFP, the first time in his presidency, Macron will not go down to the pitch greet the finalists – Nantes and Toulouse – before the start of the match.
Protesters were also intending to hand out whistles to fans entering the stadium, which today’s decree also bans. The event also been the subject of contingency planning amid the threat of targeted power cuts, with yesterday’s second-tier rugby match between Agen and Never having been hit with a cut for which the CGT, one of France’s main trade unions, has claimed responsibility.
GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin
