Widespread unrest in France stemming from last month’s law increasing the pension age from 62 to 64 is starting to bleed into the sports world.
On Friday, protestors blockaded the construction site of the Paris 2024 Aquatics Center in Saint-Denis, chanting, “No withdrawal, no Olympics” around a fire burning in front of the entrance. French president Emmanuel Macron forced the new legislation through Parliament without a final vote on April 15.
Demonstrations continued on Monday with the General Confederation of Labor counting 2.3 million protestors nationwide, including 550,000 in Paris. France’s Ministry of Interior estimated 782,000 marched on Monday. A whopping 108 policemen were reported injured, and 200 people were arrested during the protests, including 68 in Paris.
Back in March, a French labor union cut power to Olympic sites, including the Olympic Village and Stade de France stadium, as a demonstration against the Senate’s approval of the controversial pension reform.
The recent clashes have done little to instill confidence in the French government’s ability to prevent this discontent from impacting the Paris 2024 Olympics. Last month, Reuters reported on anti-Olympics collective called “Saccage 2024,” which translates to “Destruction 2024,” that is plotting to infiltrate next summer’s Paris Olympics by recruiting fake volunteers.
“Volunteering is supposed to be for the common good and that is not the case for the Olympic Games,” said Arthur, a Saccage 2024 member. “It does not have charitable aims.”
Paris 2024 Olympic organizers are seeking 45,000 volunteers, who will be receive uniforms, free travel, and meal vouchers in exchange for their work. The deadline for applications is May 3.
Saccage 2024 says that those volunteers should be paid for their work, adding that the Paris Olympics will hurt locals as well as the environment.
“When we talk about these Games, they are the Games of the French,” French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said. “These are in no way the State Games, they are in no way the Government Games. These initiatives calling for disruption of the proper organization of the Games to make a claim against an actor of the Games, and on a theme disconnected from the Games, are on the wrong target.”
Are there going trash pick ups at these games?
Athletes and tourists better get ready for various strikes during Paris Olympics
as long as the protestors don’t target the mens 100 free final, were chillin
I sure hope for the French that the whole pension reform thing will be gone by then lol