Riots in Lille Firefighters attack the police with fire extinguishers
A protest by firefighters has escalated in Lille (France). They attacked the police with fire extinguishers, setting fire to tires and barricades. The reason is deep frustration over cost-cutting measures and staff shortages.
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- There were clashes between firefighters and police in Lille (France).
- The fire department is protesting against cost-cutting measures, a lack of jobs and a controversial ban on beards.
- Despite initial concessions from the authorities, around 700 firefighters demonstrated with blockades and burning barricades.
The images published by French journalist Luc Affret X are quite something: firefighters and police clash in Lille. The firefighters attack the police with fire extinguishers, who respond with tear gas and retreat.
The trigger is the frustration of the firefighters in northern France. According to their union, around 6.4 million francs and 160 jobs are missing. Cost-cutting measures are making day-to-day operations more difficult, according to the criticism.
The result: longer deployment times - with potentially fatal consequences in the event of fires or medical emergencies. In addition, a moustache ban has recently made headlines.
Authorities make concessions
On Thursday, around 700 firefighters demonstrated in the center of Lille. They blocked the city ring road, set off tires and pyrotechnics and erected burning barricades made of garbage cans - the very things that normally fight fires.
These are not the first protests since the beginning of the year. In the meantime, the authorities have promised 50 new jobs and the relaxation of the beard ban. Whether and when these measures will be implemented is still unclear.
