In Brest, the pension demonstration ends in confusion [Vidéo] – Brest

“We are badly embarked”. Asked about the outcome she imagined in the social conflict, this retiree, who could no longer count her days of mobilization, had perhaps felt the blow coming. Because, no, apart from the prospect of overflows, she did not see what could “get us out of there”.

The procession of some 6,000 demonstrators (8,000 according to the unions) then returned to its starting point, ready to disperse after a short demonstration, held in a calm atmosphere, without any notable incident. It was then, boulevard Clemenceau, that young people, claiming to be anti-capitalist or anti-fascist, took control, the procession going into “wild demonstration” mode.

Return of the “wild demonstration”

And the atmosphere has radically changed. Dressed in black and mostly masked, the head of the procession suddenly headed for the sub-prefecture, after announcing a rally in front of the office of deputy Larsonneur, visibly wishing to take the police by surprise.

Tags on the facades, throwing cans, on one side, tear gas on the other: the scenario of Thursday evening seemed about to repeat itself. Except that, this time, the forces of order, in number, protected the grid of the sub-prefecture, and did not hesitate to aim further than the immediate environment of the institution, in order to quickly disperse the thousand people then present, shortly before 4:30 p.m.

Numerous tear gas shots

An effective strategy, since the procession then headed towards the office of the deputy, for the same conclusion, in the fog of gases. From then on, the security forces pursued the same strategy, consisting in repelling the demonstrators. First around the station, where a solid security cordon was formed, then going up to the Place de la Liberté.

Attempted intrusion into Espace Jaurès

Around 5 p.m., the procession, now estimated at some 800 people, began to go up rue Jean-Jaurès, behind the slogan of “blocking shopping centers”. But it was first the traffic of the tram that was disrupted, before barricades made up of garbage cans across the tracks. As for the Espace Jaurès, its gates were closed when the demonstrators arrived, but around fifteen of them still managed to enter the building, from which they came out with garbage cans, set on fire on the tram tracks. . The main body of the troops was dispersed by tear gas, while the customers were blocked in the gallery.

The group of demonstrators, now reduced to some 250 people, then headed for the Saint-Martin district, where new tear gas shots responded to the throwing of bottles, near the halls. The procession of demonstrators then dispersed into small groups.

Around 6 p.m., calm seemed to have returned to the city center.