Storefronts Damaged During Pension Reform Protests in Rennes

Storefronts in Rennes were seen damaged in images posted on Twitter on January 19, a day of strikes and protests in France against proposed pension reforms.

Footage recorded by Jean-Baptiste Cailleaux shows a group of people obscured by umbrellas climbing in and out of a damaged Zara storefront. A photo by Cailleaux showed the damaged storefront, and another showed a damaged travel agency.

Cailleaux contrasted the actions he witnessed with those who “demonstrate peacefully”.

Police in Rennes tweeted that there were “disruptive elements” among the protesters.

Labor unions in France called for a national strike on Thursday in response to the government’s pension reform, which would see the legal age of retirement for most people rise from 62 to 64.

Local media reported that at least 17,000 protesters participated in action in Rennes on Thursday. Credit: Jean-Baptiste Cailleaux via Storyful