France's largest shutdown in decades turned violent on Thursday after protesters in Paris and the western city of Nantes smashed windows and torched cars and riot police charged crowds and used tear gas in response.

A general strike has paralyzed the country as workers and other professionals protest against President Emmanuel Macron's proposed pension reforms.

The Eiffel Tower and other businesses in Paris closed down and security authorities formed a barricade around the presidential palace. Authorities also deployed over 6,000 police officers to control protests and marches.

Over 800,000 people took part in demonstrations around the country, 65,000 of them in the capital, a union organizer reported. Police detained at least 90 people in Paris on Thursday.

Yves Veyrier, head of the Force Ouvriere union, said it has been a long time since they've seen such a large turnout.

"We now expect the government to take the measure of this mobilization, and understand that its universal system is a bad idea," he said.

While clashes between small groups of violent protesters and riot police broke out around the country, the walkout was largely peaceful.

The strikes follow over a year of weekly "yellow vest" protests against inequality that have rocked the country.

What services are affected?

The French government has beefed up security in the capital and other major cities amid fears hardline protesters could cause trouble.

Buses, trains and flights have been canceled and most of the Paris subway system came to a halt.

Schools were closed as more than half of all primary and secondary teachers walked out.

Hospital emergency rooms are operating with skeleton staff as nurses and doctors strike.

Unions planned two big Paris demonstrations, which converged on the Place de la Nation.

Tourist authorities warned visitors to stay away from the Eiffel Tower.

French media said the walkout could last for several days, drawing comparisons with the 1995 showdown between the government and unions that paralyzed the country for weeks.

Rail workers have already voted to extend their strike through Friday. Unions for the bus and metro operator in Paris said they will continue striking until Monday. About 90% of high-speed trains and 70% of regional trains have been canceled for Friday.

The delays prompted many people to take the day off work, while others rode their bikes or used ride-sharing services. Some services even offered special promotions related to the strike.

France on strike — in pictures Walkout causes gridlock Many workers hoped to return to work on Friday. Some commuters opted to hire bicycles and scooters and others took their cars. This led to large traffic jams in French cities. There were nearly 300 kilometers of traffic jams in the Paris region.

France on strike — in pictures Transportation grinds to a halt 90% of high-speed trains and 70% of regional trains were cancelled on Friday, the French railway announced. The French civil aviation authority instructed airlines to reduce their Friday flight traffic from central airports to 20%.

France on strike — in pictures A fairer system? Public sector workers are unhappy about a reform that would see France transition to a points-based pension system from its current system that has 42 sector-specific pension schemes. Currently, rail workers, mariners and some ballet dancers can retire up to 10 years earlier than other workers. President Macron said that the proposed system would be fairer for everyone.

France on strike — in pictures Pensions debate without movement Macron's proposals follow a long tradition of French government pension reform proposals stretching for three decades. Each reform has been met with massive demonstrations and none of the changes has succeeded in simplifying the pension system.

France on strike — in pictures United behind a low retirement age Years of protests against pension reforms have successfully kept the retirement age low. In France, the pension age was raised to 62 years. This is among the lowest in OECD countries, despite being raised from 60 years in 2010 reforms. In Germany, retirement is at 67 years old.

France on strike — in pictures Stronger together? French union leaders are the driving force behind the nationwide strike — but they are not united. The CGT union is the most hardline. It rejects any pension reform proposals and said workers had blocked seven out of eight of the countries oil refineries. The CFDT union is more moderate and is open to the idea of a points-based system.

France on strike — in pictures Protests sparked While the majority of protesting consisted of peaceful marches, masked protesters also vandalized bus stops, smashed shop windows, and threw fireworks at police as demonstrators progressed through Paris on Thursday.

France on strike — in pictures Seeing red at pension proposals The so-called Yellow Vests are known for their direct approach to protesting and have said they would join the strikes. Authorities are bracing themselves for possible violence. The yellow-vest movement has swelled into anti-government and anti-inequality protests. Many see the general strike in France as protecting the country's social safety net — not just about preserving pensions.

France on strike — in pictures Riot police move in After peaceful protesting escalated to include rioting and damage to public and private property, security forces also intensified their tactics. Riot police charged crowds and fired tear gas to disperse violent demonstrators.

France on strike — in pictures Police and protesters clash in Paris Police clashed with protesters on Thursday in Nantes, Montpellier, Paris as well as other cities. Masked demonstrators started fires, smashed storefronts, and vandalized cars. Author: Kate Martyr



Unpopular reforms

Macron plans to reform France's pension system, calling it unfair and costly. He wants to introduce a single, points-based system that he said will guarantee equal rights to every pensioner.

Macron also wants to implement a "universal" retirement system, which was one of his major campaign promises. But labor unions say the proposed reforms would effectively require millions of private-sector workers to work beyond the legal retirement age of 62 in order to receive the full pension.

"The moment of truth for Macron," wrote the daily Le Monde in its Thursday edition. "The next days are a decisive test for the head of state."

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Mad at Macron Since his election in May 2016, French President Emmanuel Macron's popularity has fallen steadily thanks to unpopular financial policies, such as ending a wealth tax, and his public manner, which many see as aloof and arrogant. But it was his planned fuel-tax hike, an environmental measure, that really kicked things off. An online video saying Macron is "hounding drivers" goes viral in October.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Nationwide protests Online outrage is soon transferred to France's streets as more than 290,000 demonstrators don the high-visibility vests that drivers are required by law to keep in their cars. They block roads nationwide. The protests, coordinated via social media, have no structural organization, lack visible leadership and disavow union or party ties. At least one person is killed and more than 150 are arrested.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Clashes and destruction The Macron government says it won't back down, and further protests are scheduled. On November 24, some 100,000 people protest nationwide, with 8,000 in Paris, where violence and destruction breaks out. Police clash with protesters on the Champs-Elysees (above), using water canon and tear gas. Over €1 million ($1.1 million) in damage is reported.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Cracking under pressure The "yellow vest" protests are a massive problem for Macron. He initially refuses to budge on the fuel tax, then proposes adjustment in case of rising oil costs. Not satisfied, protesters hit French streets again on December 1, with violence and vandalism erupting in Paris. Macron calls a crisis meeting the next day and on December 5, amid threats of more protests, Macron ditches the fuel tax.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Paris on lockdown Macron, however, refuses to reinstitute the wealth tax and dismisses protesters' calls for his resignation. The "yellow vests" defy easy categorization, as protesters include both far-left and far-right supporters who opposed Macron's presidency bid. On December 8, nationwide violent protests take place again. Armored vehicles roll down Paris streets as much of the city goes on lockdown.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Speech to the nation On December 10, Macron responds to the 4-week-old protests with a televised speech to the nation from the Elysee Palace. More than 21 million viewers tune in as Macron strikes a conciliatory tone, saying he accepts his "share of responsibility" for the crisis. He introduces new financial measures, including a minimum-wage hike, tax-free overtime pay and tax exemptions for low-income retirees.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Neighboring discontent In the meantime, the "yellow vest" protests jump beyond France's borders to other countries. In Belgium, demonstrators expressed anger over high taxes and food prices, as well as low wages and pensions. Anti-riot police responded with water cannon after protesters threw rocks at the prime minister's office. In Germany, protesters also turned out in Berlin and Munich.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests NYE calm Protesters in France continue into late December, though turnout numbers fall. That doesn't discourage unofficial but high-profile protest leaders, who use social media to encourage continued demonstrations. On New Year's Eve, many revelers wear yellow vests as they take part in peaceful, "festive" gatherings in Paris.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests No end in 2019 Any hopes for calm in the new year were quickly dashed when on January 5 a fresh round of nationwide protests saw some 50,000 take part, an increase in turnout after the holiday lull but less than initial December gatherings. In Paris, some protesters clashed with police, setting fire to motorcycles and storming government buildings. Macron condemned the violence, saying, "Justice will be done."

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests 'Reclaiming' yellow vest protests Several hundred women wearing yellow vests marched through Paris on January 6 in an effort to restore a peaceful image to the "yellow vest" protests. At one point during the march, the women protesters fell to their knees in a minute of silence for the 10 people killed and many others injured since the start of the movement.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests 'Grand debate' In response to the "yellow vest" protests, Macron launched a series of town hall discussions where he said he would hear the concerns of the French. His first was on January 15 in the northern town of Grand Bourgtheroulde, where around 600 mayors from the Normandy region gathered to raise complaints from their constituents.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Rubber bullets do damage, too Prominent activist Jerome Rodrigues was injured in a confrontation on January 26. Rodrigues said he was hit in the eye by a police rubber bullet, an anti-riot weapon that has become highly controversial in France. The incident led to public outrage and was one of many severe injuries that protest groups blamed on the rubber bullets.

A timeline of France's 'yellow vest' protests Court rules rubber bullets fair game Following numerous injuries and outcry from the left-wing CGT trade union and the French Human Rights League, top French legal authority Council of State (Conseil d'Etat) refused on February 1 ban police from using the "sub-lethal" Defense Ball Launchers (LBDs) . The court said the risk of violence at the demonstrations made it "necessary to allow security forces to use these weapons."



The French leader wants to set the tone for the second half of his term, as he plans to announce more difficult reforms in the coming months.

"What we've got to do is shut the economy down," Christian Grolier, a senior official from the hard-left Force Ouvriere union, told Reuters news agency. "People are spoiling for a fight."

The "yellow vest" demonstrations, which occasionally turned violent, evolved into an anti-government uprising against Macron, whose policies are seen as favoring the rich.

The movement has since lost steam, going from tens of thousands of demonstrators to a few thousand.

TheMediapart website said: "Will the [Thursday] protests and strikes be strong enough to halt the march of reform? Everyone is holding their breath."

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