Strikes Paralyze France as Workers Protest Pension Reforms

Tens of thousands of workers from multiple industries in France took to the streets of cities and towns on December 5 in a general strike against pension reform. Multiple train stations across the country stood empty, as more than half of SNCF drivers took part in the strike, according to local reporting, while the Eiffel Tower was one of many attractions to close its doors. Schools across the country closed, as 51 percent of primary school teachers and 42 percent of secondary school teachers joined the strike, according to the ministry of education. Videos here show the demonstration in Montpellier, the capital of the Herault department in the south of France. Local news outlet Midi Libre Montpellier reported that 20,000 people took part in the demonstration there. Credit: Fabien VIE via Storyful