Tens of thousands join fresh protests against French pension reform

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets again in France on Thursday in fresh protests against President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension reform.

The protests come a day ahead of an expected ruling by the Constitutional Council on the legality of the planned changes. It can overturn the reform in part or in full or declare it constitutional.

Trade unions called for the latest rallies and were expecting 400,000 to 600,000 participants.

On the 12th day of the nationwide action, protesters blocked roads, railroad tracks and refineries. Garbage collectors in Paris went on strike again.

Also in Paris, demonstrators broke into the headquarters of the French luxury group LVMH and set off firecrackers.

The authorities deployed 11,500 police officers, 4,200 of them in Paris alone.

The protests are directed against the gradual increase of the retirement age from 62 to 64. The centre-right government wants to close a looming gap in the pension fund with the reform.

The dispute intensified because the government pushed the text through the National Assembly without a vote.

The protests, which had been peaceful for weeks, have since been overshadowed by massive violence.

Macron wants the reform to come into force by the end of the year.