Thousands join Block Everything rallies across France to express anger at government and austerity
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t 7am on the eastern edge of the busy Paris ring road at Montreuil, Jess, a 35-year-old hospital neurologist, had joined protesters attempting to stop traffic in order to show her anger at the French government.
“Inequality is rife in France and this is the only way to be heard,” she said. Pushed back with teargas by riot police, Jess, who asked for her real name not to be published, said she was scared by police tactics but felt it was crucial to be on the streets.
“Public services are failing, the quality of care in hospitals is getting worse,” she said. “Years of cuts to the health sector means doctors suffer, patients suffer. The health service is very visibly the target of austerity cuts that are having an impact on people’s wellbeing. Meanwhile, the rich are getting richer, people are getting poorer and the politicians aren’t listening. No one is even taking account of the way we vote.”
