A demonstration of a few thousand firefighters, demanding in particular a bonus for the Olympic Games this summer in Paris, set off Thursday from the Place de la République towards the Bastille after some tensions, noted an AFP journalist. Sirens, firecrackers, smoke bombs: the Place de la République initially took on the appearance of Bastille Day, with certain firefighters announcing the color by wearing a fluorescent yellow armband “on strike”.
The atmosphere became tense
But the atmosphere became slightly tense before the procession left, with firefighters setting off large firecrackers from the center of the square. The police intervened and removed some demonstrators from the gathering, noted the AFP journalist. Asked about these tensions, the Paris police headquarters did not respond immediately. The territorial professional firefighters and the staff of the departmental fire and rescue services (SDIS) intend to demand, during this parade in Paris and strike movements in the provinces, more hiring, appropriate medical monitoring and a bonus for their involvement in the Olympic Games this summer in Paris.
“One of our immediate concerns is equality in treatment in relation to the Olympic bonus. We want to be treated like the police and the gendarmes,” Sébastien Delavoux, union representative of the CGT Sdis, told AFP. “The police obtained bonuses ranging from 1,500 to 1,900 euros. We are asking for the same thing,” continued the trade unionist.
On Thursday, nine unions called for a day of mobilization, with strike notices in France and a procession in Paris. Around 3:00 p.m., the firefighters marched towards the Place de la Bastille, demonstrating very noisily with sirens, firecrackers and foghorns, with the CGT in the lead.