Five Photos Depicting Albi as the Epicenter of the Pension Reform Protests

For this 5th mobilization against the pension reform, Albi (Tarn) has become the epicenter of the protest for a day. They were 55,000 people in the streets of the Tarn prefecture, Thursday, February 16, according to the unions. Barely 10,000 according to state services.

Big blue skies and spring temperatures. The conditions were met for this great day of mobilization against the pension reform in Albi (Tarn) on Thursday February 16, 2023. At the head of the procession, all the flags of the trade unions present: CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, UNSA, Solidaires and FSU. But all eyes are on two men.

More than an hour before the start of the event, scheduled for 2.30 p.m., the general secretary of the CGT Philippe Martinezand that of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, are already present side by side. The image is strong and symbolizes union union. Shortly before the start of the parade, the boss of the CFDT explained that “the government needs to hear what is happening”.

“If the government does not hear, we will come back to the charge, and we will come back determined and even stronger on March 7th.he warned, considering that “bet on a possible shortness of breath” would be “a madness”. Moreover, to mark the strength of this mobilization, around fifty Enedis vehicles, and more than one hundred and fifty employees of the company make up the procession.

The media were not mistaken. Cameras. Cameras. Journalists. Microphones. The major national and local newsrooms are all present in the Tarn prefecture. A private continuous news channel did not hesitate to set up a set at the start of the event in order to interview Philippe Martinez and Laurent Berger.

Albi was not chosen by chance by the unions for this 5th day of mobilization. The department is that of Jean Jaurès, deputy of the Tarn and fervent defender of the workers. In the morning, Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the CGT, went to the glass factory of Albi, created in 1895 by the figure of the left.

Emmanuel Macron himself went to Albi for his last campaign meeting during the 2017 presidential election. There he defended the idea of ​​a France “reconciled”during his meeting with workers from the city’s glass factory.

Albi, capital of the protest, also marks a will of the unions to put a “spotlight” on the strong mobilization in medium-sized towns. The unions had identified 20,000 people in the streets on February 11 against 6,000 according to the police.

And the mobilization was there again, this Thursday, February 16, as shown in the photo below. The long procession of more than a kilometer gathered 55,000 people in the Red City, according to the unions.

The estimate of the prefecture is much lower and would not exceed 10,000 people.

“No incident was noted during the parade in Albi“, note the police. The demonstration took place in a good-natured atmosphere and in the greatest calm.

A constant since the beginning of the movement, even if the government evoked the possible presence of black-block during the first demonstrations in France. The security forces remained very much in the background throughout the day. The CRS buses are “hiding” on the side of the prefecture, just in case… On the other hand, the state services have not communicated on the numbers mobilized. A line also adopted by the security services of the unions.