Protests intensify in France over govt's plan to raise pension age

Paris: In France, police fired tear gas to repel violent protesters in Paris as hundreds of thousands of protesters marched across the country against President Emmanuel Macron's plan to raise the pension age. 

On the ninth day of nationwide protests, train and air travel were disrupted while many teachers walked off the job. In central Paris, the demonstrators were generally peaceful, however, smaller



groups of Black Bloc anarchists smashed shop windows. Bordeaux town hall was set on fire.

The protests started after the government pushed through legislation to raise the retirement age by two years to 64 without a vote in the parliament. President Macron on Wednesday said the legislation would come into force by year-end despite escalating anger across the country.