French protesters invade Euronext building in anger over pension law

A group of protesters entered offices of stockmarket operator Euronext in Paris' La Defense business district on Thursday, saying big companies must pay up to finance pensions, as part of wider protests against an unpopular raise of the retirement age.

"We are told that there is no money to finance pensions," said Sud-Rail unionist Fabien Villedieu. But there is "no need to get the money from the pockets of workers, there is some in the pockets of billionaires."

Waving union flags, the group of 200 to 300 protesters briefly occupied Euronext's lobby, engulfed in red smoke from flares, and chanted words popular with pension protesters: "We are here, we are here, even if Macron does not want it we are here."

Earlier this month, similar scenes had occured a Blackrock's Paris offices.

Macron signed into law at the weekend a rise in the retirement age which means citizens must work two years longer, to 64, before receiving their state pension.

That was after three months of protests that mobilised huge crowds and at times turned violent. Opinion polls show a vast majority of voters oppose the reform.