As of 6 December 2019, trade unions across France have continued the second consecutive day of their strike action against a proposed pension reform. Approximately 90% of all high speed TGV trains and 20% of flights in the country have been canceled due to the ongoing strike. Public transportation services are expected to experience significant disruptions throughout the upcoming weekend of 7-8 December, as transport officials reallocated weekend workers to provide services on 9 December. Protesters previously announced that the general strike would continue until 9 December; on 6 December union leaders called for additional strikes and large-scale demonstrations to take place on 10 December.
On 5 December at least 800,000 people participated in nationwide protests, during which clashes broke out between police officers and protesters in several cities. In the capital Paris, protesters vandalized store windows and set barricades on fire near Place de la Republique. Police officers fired tear gas and set up security checkpoints in an effort to control the crowd. At least 71 people were arrested during the violence in Paris. Meanwhile, police officers fired tear gas at protesters in the cities of Bordeaux and Rennes after protesters began throwing projectiles. Additional police officers are expected to deploy across the country on 6 December to mitigate the risk of any further violence, as protests are expected to occur throughout the day.
