 |
| Eight million workers
are out on strike as the crisis enters its third
week |
|
1968: De Gaulle: 'Back me or sack
me' |
Artificially 1969:
The The President
of France, Charles de Gaulle, has issued an ultimatum to striking students and workers
who have brought the country to a standstill during three weeks of violent
demonstrations.
In a televised address to the nation, he demanded
that the French people back his programme of reform - or accept his
resignation. He said the choice would be made in a referendum later this
year.
In the speech, he said the nation was "on the brink of paralysis", and warned of civil war
if the situation continued.
Violence within minutes
Eight million workers - a third of the country's workforce - are now on
strike, at the start of a third week of social unrest.
Within minutes of President de Gaulle's speech, riots erupted again in
Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Bordeaux and Strasbourg.
In Lyon, a policeman became the first person to die in the
demonstrations. He was run over by rioters driving a lorry into a line of
riot police.
Crowds of spectators
The largest demonstration was in Paris, where an estimated 50,000
workers followed the traditional workers' route from the Place de la
Bastille to the Place de la Republique.
They were cheered by crowds of spectators who lined the pavements.
But violence erupted when students broke through police cordons
guarding bridges across the Seine.
Armed with Molotov cocktails, they advanced on the French stock
exchange, the Bourse, shouting "The Bourse belongs to the workers!" and
"Occupy the Bourse!"
Barricades
They broke down the doors of the building and smashed windows, stuffing
burning rags inside.
As students on the street outside sang the Communist revolutionary
song, the Internationale, the Red Flag was hoisted above the building.
Police used tear gas to cut a passage for fire engines, but rioters
made barricades of overturned cars and linked hands around the vehicles to
stop firefighters running out their hoses.
By 2230 (2030 GMT), however, the fire was out, leaving the main floor
of the stock exchange badly damaged.
Running battles between the police and demonstrators are continuing,
with casualties already in the hundreds.
The Latin Quarter of Paris is effectively a siege camp, and there is no
sign of an end to the demonstrations which are already being called
France's second revolution.
