Paris - The protests in France on May Day were primarily aimed at President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform bill, which had already been signed into law despite months of strikes and opposition. The bill raises the country's retirement age from 62 to 64, angering labor unions and many workers who feel that the change is unfair.

The demonstrations turned violent in some areas, with clashes between protesters and police. Protesters reportedly set fire to ride-share bicycles and cars, while police used tear gas and riot gear to disperse the crowd. Some protesters threw Molotov cocktails or small petrol bombs, and there were reports of smashed bank and business windows.

The Observatory of Street Medics, a group aligned with the protesters, reported that it had observed 200 people injured and performed over 2,000 tear gas decontaminations. It said that 30 people were severely injured and had to be evacuated from the protests. French police also used drones to film the protesters, which some activists said was an invasion of privacy.

Despite the violence, not all of the protests were aggressive. In some areas, protesters sang, danced, and chanted in a more festive manner. The major French labor union, CGT, estimated that there were over 300 protests throughout the country, with around 1.3 million people expected to participate before the protests began.

The demonstrations coincided with May Day protests in other countries, including South Korea, Spain, Lebanon, Germany, Pakistan, and Turkey, where workers also demanded greater economic justice and workers' rights.