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| Photo by M. Cosgrove, Lyon |
Earlier this week, protests against retirement reforms took a violent turn, especially in Lyon. Groups of teens known as “les casseurs” (literally translated as “the breakers”) took to the streets to carry out their very own protests, which involved damaging property, and more specifically: burning cars, breaking store windows, and walking out with TV sets and video game consoles.
According to Metro Lyon, a Saleswoman whose shop had been broken into was casually asked where the accompanying controller to a PS3 console could be found.
In the centre of town, roads were blocked off, a helicopter flew over-head, and police patrolled in large groups, equipped with shields, helmets, gas, batons, and guns with rubber bullets. Some 290 youths were arrested.
The general opinion among the French public seems to be that "les casseurs" are misguided youths, who, as one peaceful protester put it, "found a good excuse to skip class and break things." Numerous other peaceful protesters expressed that they were ashamed of recent political events and the attention they received in international news.
However, many of the teens protested and continue to protest in a peaceful fashion. They have a valid concern that young adults may suffer unemployment in the years to come. The logic is that there will be less available jobs for youths since older people will be staying in the workforce for longer periods of time.
Several unions and socialist politicians have been heavily criticized for inciting these youths to do what some say they did not have the courage to do themselves. According to Digital Journal, Ségolène Royal, socialist candidate for the 2007 presidential election, stated that adolescents are capable of thinking for themselves and that she had asked them to protest peacefully.
According to Metro Lyon, a Saleswoman whose shop had been broken into was casually asked where the accompanying controller to a PS3 console could be found.
In the centre of town, roads were blocked off, a helicopter flew over-head, and police patrolled in large groups, equipped with shields, helmets, gas, batons, and guns with rubber bullets. Some 290 youths were arrested.
The general opinion among the French public seems to be that "les casseurs" are misguided youths, who, as one peaceful protester put it, "found a good excuse to skip class and break things." Numerous other peaceful protesters expressed that they were ashamed of recent political events and the attention they received in international news.
However, many of the teens protested and continue to protest in a peaceful fashion. They have a valid concern that young adults may suffer unemployment in the years to come. The logic is that there will be less available jobs for youths since older people will be staying in the workforce for longer periods of time.
Several unions and socialist politicians have been heavily criticized for inciting these youths to do what some say they did not have the courage to do themselves. According to Digital Journal, Ségolène Royal, socialist candidate for the 2007 presidential election, stated that adolescents are capable of thinking for themselves and that she had asked them to protest peacefully.
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