Police clear ‘agitators’ out of Sorbonne, Eiffel Tower shuts its doors as French train strikes resume
Much of the anger centres on the president, but he went on national television to declare that all the protests will not prevent him from overhauling the country’s economy
Paris riot police cleared out students seeking to occupy the Sorbonne university, and strikes shut down the Eiffel Tower and two-thirds of French trains Friday – all part of a season of simmering national discontent.
Much of the anger centres on President Emmanuel Macron, but he went on national television on Thursday to declare that strikes and protests won’t prevent him from overhauling France’s economy.
Rail workers resumed a strike on Friday that is set to disrupt travel through June. But the number of striking workers is down from previous actions, and international trains were largely maintained.
The Eiffel Tower announced that it was closed to the public on Friday because of a strike by security personnel. Their demands were not immediately clear.
The Sorbonne announced its iconic Left Bank site was closed on Friday for security reasons after the Thursday night police operation. While about 200 students were evacuated, a few hundred others gathered outside, chanting angrily at police, though the incident ended peacefully.
