Tens of thousands strike in France against unpopular labour law reforms

A protester in the French city of Brest holds aloft a banner reading “Pensions” as he takes part in a demonstration against a string of controversial reforms to labour laws.

Across the country, tens of thousands of teachers, nurses, train drivers, air traffic controllers, and other public sector workers went on strike against president Emmanuel Macron’s proposals.

There were scuffles reported between some protesters and police in areas of Paris and the city of Nantes, where authorities used watercannon and teargas to disperse crowds.

Schools and nurseries were closed as a result of the strike, with widespread transport disruption and restrictions on daily services such as waste collection.