The 12th day of strikes and protests against the government's pension reform plans is continuing across France. There have been isolated reports of violence.
The shop and office headquarters of the luxury goods group LVMH in central Paris was invaded at lunchtime by protesters.
A spokesman said the point of the peaceful action at the premises was to suggest to the government that France's billionaires could help to finance a more equitable pension system. LVMH is owned by Bernard Arnault, the richest man in the world.
Isolated violence, tear gas
There have been violent clashes between protesters and police in the western French cities of Nantes and Rennes, with the security forces using tear gas against stone-throwing groups of protesters.
Violence is also reported from Lyon where police sources claim a group of about 1,000 individuals broke away from the main march and caused damage to a luxury hotel.
Thousands are marching in Paris, where CFDT union leader Laurent Berger has warned the government that the union struggle against the pension reform "is far from over".
The unions claim 400,000 people are marching in the capital. There are no official figures available.
Looking forward to demonstrations planned for 1 May, Sophie Binet of the CGT said "despite what the government hopes, this movement is far from over."
She said the unions were determined to show the president "that he can't govern the country until this reform is withdrawn."
Paris incinerator blocked
There have been isolated incidents on the fringes of some demonstrations.
A bin lorry depot was blocked at Aubervilliers on the outskirts of Paris, while the urban waste incinerator at Ivry-sur-Seine was also temporarily closed by protestors.
TotalEnergies said 20 percent of oil refinery staff were on strike and that some deliveries had been cancelled.
Public transport in the French capital is reported to be normal.
Strike numbers down in civil service
Fewer civil servants are on strike this week, according to official figures.
Of the 2.5 million state employees in public service, fewer than 4 percent were absent from their posts at noon, compared to 6.5 percent on 6 April according to the ministry responsible.
In the so-called territorial public service, which employes two million people, 2 percent were on strike according to official figures. The trade unions put the figure at 4 percent.
In French public hospitals, with 1.2 million employees, 4.2 percent were strikers, compared to 6 percent last Thursday.
Civil service participation in the pension protests on 6 April was already slightly down on figures for 28 March.
