Labour Law: The Procession Soars in Rennes, City Centre Barricades

PROTEST: Thousands of demonstrators are expected with the fear of new overflows …

The mobilization against the Labour Law proposed by Myriam El Khomri continues in Rennes.  Thursday morning at around 11:30am, a procession of several thousand demonstrators started from de Gaulle esplanade for a parade in the streets of the city centre.

Ils ont eu Jon Snow. Les fans de #got dans le cortège #Rennes pic.twitter.com/KkkRhTHwkf

— Camille Allain (@CamiAllain) April 28, 2016

On Wednesday, prefect Patrick Strzoda brought together trade unions asking them to change the original route of the procession for fear of protesters flooding the city centre.  After consultation, the unions finally decided to keep the planned route.

A water cannon and gates to secure the city centre

This ninth mobilization against the Labour Law in the Breton capital raised fears of new overflows in the city centre and clashes between rioters and police. “We observe each manifestation with tension increasingly growing with increasingly violent radical militants. There is also the risk that some students are manipulated by these elements,” the prefect said Wednesday.

To minimize the risk of overflows, the security forces have been deployed in numbers in the city centre. The access to the Town Hall Square and Parliament of Britain were closed with barriers and a water cannon was installed at place de la Mairie.

To the prefect Patrick Strzoda, the reference is clear. “As from the beginning of the mobilization, we want to prevent the rioters from entering the historic centre of Rennes.  And the police will intervene, when necessary, “says the prefect.

Several banks and shops have also protected their storefronts to avoid damage.