May Day: Macron Uses Drones Against Protesters

In Europe, May 1 is traditionally a day of protests, known as May Day. This festival holds particular significance for those in France this year, as it comes on the heels of nationwide ire against President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reform, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Typically, 100,000 to 160,000 people gather for May Day rallies in France each year. According to the cgt union, a stunning 2.3 million people protested this year, 550,000 of which were at the capital.

As a countermeasure, Paris and other major cities used drones for the first time to monitor the situation. Use of these drones was authorized on April 27. The policy outlined that they could be used for “prevention of attacks on the security of individuals and property in particularly exposed places,” “prevention of acts of terrorism,” “regulation of transportation flows,” and “the surveillance of borders, with a view to combating their irregular crossing” and “the rescue of persons.”

The fact that Macron’s government pushed through the reform without a vote in parliament (by using a special paragraph) has created further discontent. Reelection is out of the question for Macron, so he has nothing to lose and is behaving like a dictator.

This is part of a trend the Trumpet has been watching for a long time. Europe is transforming into a continent led by 10 kings who will rule in a violently autocratic way. For more information, read “Why the Trumpet Watches Europe’s Ongoing Unification Project.”