Police Defends Paris Auto Show With Teargas

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Around 1,000 people tried to break through a security cordon around the Paris Auto Show (29 Sept. – 14 Oct.) today, throwing eggs and flour. The police answered with tear gas. It wasn’t an attempt to see the cars. It was a demonstration against lost jobs, and against the new Socialist government.

According to Reuters, the demonstration was organized by the CGT labor union, which wants to send a signal to Socialist President Francois Hollande. The protesters included workers from a doomed PSA Peugeot Citroen plant.

CGT leader Bernard Thibault said that Hollande won on a platform of change, but nothing was changing.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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 4 comments
  • Tatracitroensaab Tatracitroensaab on Oct 09, 2012

    what do these guys want instead? their company is going under and has overcapacity, what do they expect? It would be one thing if PSA was making oodles of cash and wanted to cut costs anyway, but its not. this is #illogical #ridiculous

    • See 1 previous
    • Dejal1 Dejal1 on Oct 09, 2012

      @ranwhenparked Merkel is visiting Greece today. Riot police are out today because protesters say it's Merkels' + Germanys fault Greece is like it is. For all the Germany has come clean about WII but Japan hasn't on this web site lately, it looks like the Greeks don't agree. I give you this: http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/germany-s-merkel-greeted-by-nazi-flags-irate-protesters-during-greece-visit-1.468921

  • El scotto El scotto on Oct 09, 2012

    I'd pay some good Euros for the chance to tear gas a French Socialist ;)

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