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Demonstrating peacefully against plans to make most French work
an extra two years to 64 to balance the pension budget, a small
number of protesters gathered at the foot of the Louvre's glass
pyramid. One banner read "Retire at 60 - work less to live
longer."
A queue of disappointed tourists snaked through the courtyard.
"This is ridiculous, we come from everywhere in the world with
our children to visit a museum and it’s ridiculous that 20
people are blocking the entrance," said Samuel, a Mexican
tourist who did not give his surname.
"I really understand where they're coming from, and it's fair
enough. But we all would like to go and see 'Mona Lisa', but
never mind," said Jane, a visitor from London.
Louvre employees were among the protesters outside the famed
musemum. A Louvre tour guide came out to address the visitors.
"We hope you understand our reasons," she said.
The protest came one day ahead of a 10th round of nationwide
strikes and street marches and followed violence in cities
across France over the pension system changes.
Separately, Paris police said they were carrying out an
operation to prevent unauthorised gatherings in front of the
Centre Pomopidou, another landmark museum in Paris.
(Reporting by Reuters TV, additional reporting by Forrest
Crellin, writing by Tassilo Hummel; editing by Richard Lough and
Mark Heinrich)
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