As French President Emmanuel Macron continues his countrywide charm offensive in the wake of the bitter dispute over pension reform, police in the southern Hérault department announced a ban on "portable noisemaking devices" – pots, pans, loudspeakers or megaphones – in advance of the president's arrival at a school in the town of Ganges.
Local authorities said the ban on "portable sound equipment" was meant to target amplifiers and speakers.
The regional head of the CGT union, Mathieu Guy, maintains that protesters had also been prevented from entering the secure area close to the school with pans as well as local flutes, known as "fifres".
Police fired teargas at a crowd of hundreds shouting "Macron, resign!" and blowing whistles.
Mathieu Guy, secrétaire général CGT Ganges: "Notre but est de faire du bruit et qu'Emmanuel Macron entende notre colère" pic.twitter.com/NJUyTRrxx7
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) April 20, 2023
Opposition ridicules 'pan ban'
The pan ban drew ridicule on Thursday, with Communist party spokesman Ian Brossat saying he "couldn't wait for the legislation which will ban the sale of saucepans."
Greens MP Sandrine Rousseau wondered if it is "possible to leave a democratic crisis behind by banning saucepans."
Once inside the school in Ganges, President Macron said he wanted to "acknowledge and pay teachers better", promising that they would receive between €100 - €230 more per month after tax from September.
According to the French head of state, the increases could rise to €500 per month for staff who volunteered for additional responsibilities.
Two hours of 'calm debate'
Meacron spent more than two hours debating with teachers, parents and students at the Collège Louis-Michel in Ganges, while the CGT trade union took responsibility for cutting electricity to the school during the visit.
The president listened intently and took notes.
Speaking to voters on Wednesday, Macron insisted that raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 was necessary to help France reduce its public spending and bring the country into line with its European neighbours.
BREAKING: Protesters enter Euronext, the Paris Stock Exchange, as anger over President Macron's pension reform continues to rise https://t.co/PPSXA3Tx4p pic.twitter.com/K2bb9OOcYH
— Bloomberg (@business) April 20, 2023
Other protests continued on Thursday, with union members entering the headquarters of the pan-European stock exchange Euronext in the main Paris business district.
Some rail workers also went on strike again on Thursday, forcing the cancellation of one in five regional trains and curtailing some commuter services.
