Rennes

Two weeks spent in Rennes

A first-hand and in-depth account of events in Rennes - one of the most militant towns - by a participant in the anti-CPE movement.

University strikes wind down

12 universities remain disturbed this afternoon (Friday), of which one is blocked (Toulouse II) and one is closed by the university on grounds of safety (Rennes II).

At the height of the anti-CPE rebellion, over 60 of France's 84 universities were occupied, on strike, or severely disrupted.

12 April: Unis split over strikes as CPE replacement passes through lower house

A quick round-up of news from Wednesday 12 April, including toll-free trains, sorting office blockade and the future of the university occupations.

-the law that will replace the CPE pass by lower house, Reuters report that "Chirac's ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party used their majority in the lower house to force through legislation that will replace the job contract with new measures offering employers cash incentives to hire young workers. It was adopted by 151 votes for to 93 against.

France: 'La Lutte' continues?

Demonstrations are planned for tomorrow as many universities maintain the pressure on the government, with some hoping for the extension of the struggle.

Many are calling for the abolition of the CNE contract as well, and others are holding out wary of promises made. Of 62 universities which are not on holiday, 25 were disturbed according to the ministry for the Education, including five completely blocked.

More demonstrations have also been occuring across the country:

Paris

Interview with an eyewitness from Rennes

libcom.org interviews 'vanou' a student from Rennes who has been photographing the protests against the CPE up close, including from her apartment balcony.

For a different view of the struggle in Rennes, see our report "Five Days in Rennes" from 1st April.

Over the past couple of weeks libcom.org/blog has been sourcing photos of the events from various French indymedias and directly from people on the ground in France to accompany our news coverage of the event.

Rennes postal workers take short strike action in solidarity with blockades

Postal workers take short wildcat strike action in support of sorting office-occupying anti-CPE demonstrators.

Ouest France in Brittany report from postal sorting office in Rennes:

6 April: Villepin makes major speech amidst mass transport blockades

A round-up of news from the anti-CPE struggle in France, including Villepin's speech and responses, and the transport blockades across the country.

- Four student demonstrators and one policeman were injured on Thurday, the 6th April. At the end of the aftermoon, the police force removed some 450 students who were blocking the railways on the North Matabiau station and stopped traffic for an hour and half. According to the local authority, the five injured people were transferred to the hospital.

4 April: CPE protest live updates

Hour-by-hour coverage of the day of strikes, demonstrations and further blockades and occupations across France against the new employment law.

22h00

Five days in Rennes

A report from one of our Paris correspondents, who spent the past five days in Rennes and took part in some of the anti-CPE protests there.

Rennes was interesting. I spent the last 5 days there, sampling the delights of the most militant, unified, unmediated resistance to the CPE in the country.

More spontaneous blockades

A round-up of some of yesterday's (31 March) school and office occupations and blockades of roads and railways against the CPE.

Late Friday night up to 10,000 were said to be still be in the streets after a protest at Chiracs announcement that he would promulgate the controversial CPE.

Round up of earlier events

CPE protests: Blockades across France

Charlemagne High School, Paris, occupied 28 March

Brief reports of the road and rail blockades across the country last Thursday 28 March, and updates on the mushrooming high school occupations as 62% declare solidarity with the anti-CPE movement.

Latest Poll
62% of French 'united', or 'in solidarity' with the anti-CPE movement (LCI poll)

Groups of a hundred in moving blockades, Lille

CPE struggle: Roads blocked in Brittany

Road stoppings by students opposed to the CPE today strongly disrupted access to Rennes, Nantes, Brest and Lannion today.

The three road blockades set up in Rennes were cleared at around 10am, on order of the CRS riot police, which at times used teargas. But the operation took place without confrontations according to the police force.

Thibault Boyer, vice-president of the UNEF to the board of directors of Rennes-II said that "its a symbolic blocking to show our determination against the CPE".

France in the streets: Largest demonstrations yet

Full coverage of today's demonstrations, strikes and riots as public transport and services crippled and nearly 3 million take to the streets in protest against the CPE.

Tuesday 28th of March - Summary

In tiny Hennebont, 300 high school students block bridge

Breton regional paper Ouest France is reporting the blocking of a bridge in the Morbihan departement by protesting high school students in Brittany.

This is just one example of the recent politicisation of French high school students.

300 students from the tiny medieval town of Hennebont, population just 13,000, were said to have been blocking the bridge from 3.30pm French time

Anger boils over: Rioting in Lille, Tours, Paris and Rennes

Further disturbances have been reported in many towns and cities as mass anti-CPE demonstrations ended across France this evening.

At Paris's Le Place de la Nation, the vast square where this afternoons demonstration had ended, hundreds of youths were caught in pitched battles with the CRS riot police. Rounds of tear gas were fired and at least one molotov cocktail was thrown at police. By around 7pm calm began to be restored to the area.

Lyon, Rennes and Toulouse protest against casualisation

First reports from Liberation on this mornings demonstrations.

Liberation gave marches in Lyon, Rennes and Toulouse the following figures:

Rennes
15,000 police estimate
35,000 organisers estimate

Lyon
11,000 police estimate
25,000 organisers estimate

Toulouse
22,000 police estimate
33,000 organisers estimate

Protesters invade Rennes train station

Le Figaro is reporting that between 200-300 protestors have made entry to Rennes train station, as up to 35,000 marched in the Breton capital.

The people are opposed to new labour liberalisation law the CPE.

Half a million youths say no to the CPE

On Thursday, two days before the latest national mobilisation, hundreds of thousands of students and secondary-school pupils - the latter very numerous - demonstrated across France against the CPE.

In several cities, there were clashes with the police. The Prime Minister Domenique de Villepin claimed once again to be "open to dialogue within the framework fixed by the law to improve" the CPE. "I am very hopeful that this day will go well", he declared before announcing that on Friday evening he would receive the Conference of University Presidents (CPU) in Matignon.

100,000 on the streets in Brittany

Nearly 100,000 demonstrate in Brittany against the CPE.

Numbers on demonstrations
Rennes: 20 000
Nantes: 30 000
Brest: 12 000
Quimper: 4000
Saint Brieuc : 12 000
Valves: 2500
Lorient: 6000
Saints-Nazaire: 4000
Chateaubriant: 400
Redon: 200
Ferns: 150
Dinan: 100
Glazed: 100
Pontivy: 1000
Saint Malo: 150

Students from Rennes stated: