Thousands protest in Paris against proposed labor reforms

Thousands of French people have staged a fresh protest rally in the capital, Paris, against the government’s proposed labor reforms.

Large crowds of protesters took to the streets on Tuesday afternoon to decry the highly-unpopular controversial labor reforms.

At least 2,000 police officers were deployed to provide security and prevent unwanted incidents of violence at the event. The march was permitted to take place in a restricted area.

The entire route was heavily cordoned, with all participants having to go through searches and checkpoints if they wanted to join the massive rally. Helmets were prohibited as well as anything that could be used as a projectile.

At least 100 protesters were detained for carrying potential projectiles or face coverings.

In addition to that, French security forces made two dozen arrests ahead of the march from the historic Place de la Bastille across the Seine to the Place d'Italie in southern Paris.

France is currently hosting the Euro 2016 football tournament.

The Tuesday demonstration was the eleventh in a series of protests against labor reforms since March 9.

Seven unions on Tuesday also submitted partial results from a public survey on the draft labor law, with 92 percent of 700,000 respondents calling for its withdrawal.

Valls to meet with union leaders

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls plans to meet with union leaders on Wednesday and Thursday but has already signaled he is not open to further modifying a text that has already been watered down. Valls has conceded little by agreeing to the meetings.

The premier’s office has said it would "review" the situation but "it is not a matter of reopening a cycle of negotiations."

Philippe Martinez, the head of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) union, which is leading the rallies in France, said he hoped the meeting would not be a mere "courtesy call just to have a coffee."

On June 23, France's embattled President Francois Hollande pledged that his Socialist administration would "go all the way" to enact controversial labor reforms.

"On this draft law, we will go all the way because it is essential not only to allow businesses to be able to hire more" but to step up training that will lead to more jobs, Hollande said, adding, "We will take this bill through to the finish line."

Over the past few months, France has been witnessing violent demonstrations and industrial actions over the changes to the labor law.

Previous protests involved hundreds of mostly masked youths clashing with police, hurling paving stones, and plastering anti-capitalist slogans on buildings. Police have fired dozens of rounds of tear gas and used water cannons to disperse the crowd, claiming some CGT members were involved in the violence.

Dozens of protesters have been arrested and scores injured during the scuffles.

The government says the labor reforms are aimed at boosting the country’s economy and curbing the two-digit unemployment rate.

Unions, however, say the government wants to make it easier and less costly for employers to lay off workers, calling the reforms an attack on workers’ rights.

The draft labor bill was recently forced through the lower house of parliament, but it must be debated in the senate for final approval.

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