BlackRock, an American investment giant worth $10 trillion, was the target of a protest action in downtown Paris. On April 6th, dozens of trade unionists temporarily broke into the Centorial building which belongs to the firm, causing smoke in the long atrium and shouting slogans against the proposed pension reform by French President Macron. The reform is aimed to raise the retirement age by two years, prompting concerns among those who rely on private pension funds for their retirement.

The laborers deem the reform as unnecessary, claiming that France’s pension fund is in a healthy financial situation. They organized a series of strikes and rallies around the nation to support their cause and, as a part of that initiative, they first targeted the BlackRock office. After 30 minutes, they left the building singing “On Est La!”.

The event has caused a shock throughout the nation, as it is an unprecedented event. After the incident, political commentators have expressed the need to direct these passionate protests in the most effective way possible while still underlining their frustrations. Additionally, many concerned people have voiced their opinions via social media and French lawmakers are initiating conversations on how to address this issue as quickly as possible.

The fight against the proposed pension reform has just taken a critical turn and with the latest BlackRock incident driving the conversation, it is likely that the issue will gain even more steam over the coming days. It is clear that, even if the current French cabinet doesn’t meet their desired outcomes, the trade unionists will be sure to carry their voices forward.



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