Turki Batalkan Kunjungan Menhan Swedia Karena Rencana Pembakaran AlQuran

Seorang aktivis sayap kanan dari Denmark telah mendapat izin dari polisi Swedia untuk menggelar protes di luar kedutaan Turki di Stockholm, di mana dia bermaksud untuk membakar Al-Qur'an, kitab suci umat Islam. Sementara itu, kelompok pro-Turki dan pro-Kurdi sedang merencanakan demonstrasi di ibu kota Swedia.

Menteri Pertahanan Turki Hulusi Akar mengatakan pada Sabtu bahwa kunjungan yang dijadwalkan pada 27 Januari oleh timpalannya dari Swedia Pål Jonson tidak akan terjadi. Dia mengatakan pertemuan itu tidak lagi memiliki "penting atau poin apa pun" karena Swedia terus mengizinkan demonstrasi "menjijikkan" terhadap Turki.

Kunjungan terjadwal menteri pertahanan Swedia Pal Jonson Perjalanan ke Turki yang merupakan bagian dari upaya Swedia untuk membatalkan keberatan Ankara terhadap tawaran NATO-nya.

Swedia bersiap untuk beberapa demonstrasi akhir pekan ini di Stockholm. Pemimpin partai politik Denmark Stram Kurs (Garis Keras), Rasmus Paludan, sebelumnya mendapat izin untuk membakar salinan Alquran, kitab suci umat Islam, di luar kedutaan Turki di Stockholm pada 21 Januari. Politisi Denmark-Swedia ini terkenal sebagai pembakar Alquran dan telah melakukan tindakan seperti itu sebelumnya.

Menurut Paludan, hal itu dilakukan untuk mendukung kebebasan berekspresi yang menurutnya "hilang di sana-sini". Paludan mencap Presiden Turki sebagai "diktator Islam", pandangan yang dianut oleh pemimpin Demokrat Swedia Jimmie Akesson.

Turki memanggil duta besar Swedia di Ankara untuk menolak tindakan provokatif yang direncanakan Paludan "dalam istilah terkuat", kata seorang sumber diplomatik.

Ibrahim Kalin, juru bicara Presiden Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan, di Twitter mengutuk apa yang dia katakan jelas sebagai "kejahatan rasial". "Mengizinkan tindakan ini, terlepas dari semua peringatan kami, mendorong kejahatan rasial dan Islamofobia," tambahnya.

Stockholm’de Kur’an-ı Kerim’in yakılması açık bir nefret ve insanlık suçudur. Bunu şiddetle lanetliyoruz.

Tüm uyarılarımıza rağmen bu eyleme izin verilmesi,nefret suçlarının ve İslam düşmanlığının teşvik edilmesidir.

Kutsal değerlere saldırı özgürlük değil modern barbarlıktır.

— İbrahim Kalın (@ikalin1) January 21, 2023

Menteri Luar Negeri Mevlut Cavusoglu mengatakan kepada wartawan bahwa menyerang Al-Qur'an tidak dapat dianggap sebagai kebebasan berekspresi dan berharap pihak berwenang Swedia akan membatalkan izin protes tersebut.

Ini adalah reaksi terbaru dari Turki, anggota NATO yang telah menunda persetujuan aplikasi Swedia untuk bergabung dengan aliansi militer sampai pemerintah Swedia menindak kelompok-kelompok yang dianggap Ankara sebagai ancaman keamanan.

Turki memanggil duta besar Swedia pada hari Jumat untuk mengutuk protes yang direncanakan, mengatakan protes oleh kelompok pro-Kurdi yang terkait dengan Partai Pekerja Kurdistan, atau PKK, akan menjadi pelanggaran terhadap memorandum bersama yang ditandatangani antara Turki, Swedia dan Finlandia yang mencegah hak veto Turki. untuk aksesi NATO negara-negara Nordik pada bulan Juni.

Turki, Amerika Serikat, dan Uni Eropa menganggap PKK sebagai kelompok teror dan dalam memorandum tersebut, Swedia dan Finlandia mengatakan mereka "mengkonfirmasi" penunjukan itu juga. Sebelumnya pada bulan Januari, patung Presiden Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan digantung di tiang lampu selama protes oleh Kurdi.

Turki mengecam keputusan jaksa Swedia untuk tidak menyelidiki dan Perdana Menteri Swedia Ulf Kristersson menyebut protes itu sebagai tindakan "sabotase" terhadap upaya Swedia untuk bergabung dengan NATO.

Turki memanggil duta besar Swedia awal pekan ini dan membatalkan kunjungan ketua parlemen Swedia sebagai reaksi atas insiden tersebut. Semua anggota NATO perlu meratifikasi di parlemen mereka permintaan aksesi Swedia dan Finlandia, yang dibuat setelah perang Rusia di Ukraina mendorong negara-negara Nordik untuk membatalkan kebijakan ketidakberpihakan militer mereka yang telah berlangsung lama.

Mengenai pembakaran Al-Qur'an, Menteri Luar Negeri Swedia Tobias Billström menolak untuk berspekulasi tentang bagaimana protes resmi polisi Paludan dapat mempengaruhi upaya Swedia untuk bergabung dengan NATO, mengatakan kepada media pada tanggal 20 Januari bahwa "segala sesuatu yang memperpanjang proses yang tidak perlu tentu saja merupakan sesuatu yang kami anggap sangat serius. ."

Swedia, bersama dengan negara tetangga Finlandia, membutuhkan persetujuan Turki untuk bergabung dengan NATO. Pada Mei 2022, kedua negara meninggalkan puluhan tahun non-blok militer dan melamar untuk bergabung dengan aliansi, karena merasa situasi keamanan di Eropa telah berubah. Namun, pertimbangan tawaran tersebut awalnya diblokir oleh Turki karena dukungan lama Helsinki dan Stockholm untuk PKK.

Dalam langkah terobosan, Turki, Swedia, dan Finlandia menandatangani memorandum keamanan pada Juni 2022 yang meluncurkan negosiasi tentang aksesi edua negara Skandinavia itu ke NATO.

Kedua belah pihak sepakat untuk meningkatkan kerja sama dalam perang melawan terorisme, termasuk langkah-langkah melawan PKK, dan mencabut pembatasan ekspor senjata ke Turki. Turki dan Hongaria adalah satu-satunya negara dari 30 anggota aliansi yang belum menyetujui keanggotaan dua kandidat baru.

Dalam langkah terobosan, Turki, Swedia, dan Finlandia menandatangani memorandum keamanan pada Juni 2022 yang meluncurkan negosiasi tentang aksesi kedua negara Skandinavia itu ke NATO. Kedua belah pihak sepakat untuk meningkatkan kerja sama dalam perang melawan terorisme, termasuk langkah-langkah melawan PKK, dan mencabut pembatasan ekspor senjata ke Turki. Turki dan Hongaria adalah satu-satunya negara dari 30 anggota aliansi yang belum menyetujui keanggotaan dua kandidat baru.

Pertemuan Ukraina di Jerman

Dalam pertemuan tersebut, Akar mengatakan: "Kami sekali lagi menyatakan bahwa kami menghormati integritas, kedaulatan, dan kemerdekaan teritorial Ukraina, dan bahwa kami tidak mengakui aneksasi tanahnya."

Türkiye mengungkapkan pada pertemuan tersebut bahwa tragedi di Ukraina harus diakhiri tanpa kehilangan nyawa lebih lanjut, dan bahwa solusi harus ditemukan melalui cara dan metode damai, tambahnya.

Akar menggarisbawahi bahwa sejauh ini, 18 juta ton biji-bijian Ukraina telah dibawa melalui koridor biji-bijian Laut Hitam yang dibantu oleh Türkiye tahun lalu dalam upaya untuk mencegah potensi krisis pangan di tengah perang Rusia-Ukraina.

"Sekretaris Jenderal (Jens) NATO Stoltenberg, yang menghadiri pertemuan itu, juga menegaskan pentingnya tindakan kami dalam kerangka NATO," kata Akar.

Di sela-sela pertemuan di pangkalan Ramstein, Akar mengadakan pertemuan bilateral terpisah dengan Menteri Pertahanan Inggris Ben Wallace, Menteri Pertahanan Polandia Mariusz Blasczczak, dan Kajsa Ollongren, menteri pertahanan Belanda.

Dia juga bertemu dengan Guido Crosetto, yang ditunjuk sebagai menteri pertahanan Italia, dan menyampaikan keinginannya untuk sukses.

Menteri juga mengadakan pertemuan dengan Menteri Pertahanan baru Jerman Boris Pistorius, Menteri Pertahanan Finlandia Mikko Savola, Angel Tilvar dari Romania, dan Oleksii Reznikov dari Ukraina.

US & UK Snipers Sent to Potemkin Island Near Kherson - Source

©US Air Force

Ukrainian servicemen have told Russian security forces that snipers from the United States and the United Kingdom have been sent to Potemkin Island (Ostriv Velykyi Potomkin) near Kherson to kill civilians in order to pass them off as victims of the Russian Armed Forces, a Russian law enforcement source told Sputnik.

"According to information received from sources in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, an American-British group of mercenaries, mostly snipers, drove to Bolshoy Potemkin Island in the Kherson region in order to terrorize the Russian-speaking population," the source said.

"The victims of the mercenaries’ murders are supposed to be passed off as those killed by the Russian army."

In early January, a video started circulating on Ukrainian websites showing how Ukrainian militants allegedly raised the Ukrainian flag on Potemkin Island, controlled by Russian troops.

Subsequently, the footage was reported to have been filmed in a "gray zone." A Sputnik correspondent visited the island on December 5 and confirmed that it was under the control of Russian troops. One of the Russian soldiers on the island told Sputnik in an interview that the Ukrainian video showing the alleged raising of the Ukrainian flag was a fake.

Earlier Friday, French media reported that the US officials were also urging the Ukrainian regime to prepare for a counteroffensive against Russian forces as opposed to clinging to the town of Bakhmut.

The latest comes as reports detailed on Wednesday that the Biden administration was considering providing Ukraine with weapons necessary to target the Crimean Peninsula, an instrumental area tapped by Russian forces amid the special military operation.

US ‘Hawks’ Want World War in Europe, The Patriots Leader Says

Florian Philippot, leader of the French Eurosceptic political party The Patriots, says that American politicians are aiming to start a world war, in Europe.

"Under pressure from American hawks, EU countries are going into a total delirium over the delivery of increasingly heavy weapons to (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky," Philippot said in a Twitter post, adding that "American hawks want world war, in Europe!"

The US and several Western countries recently announced new military supplies to Kiev, including battle tanks, armored infantry vehicles and artillery systems. The US Department of State said that Ukrainians may acquire possibilities to carry out strikes against Russian troops in Crimea thanks to weapons supplied by Washington.

In April 2022, Moscow sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Kiev after Russia started its military operation in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that pumping Ukraine with weapons did not contribute to the success of peace negotiations and would have a detrimental effect on the conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly emphasized that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia.

Elon Musk calls US’ readiness to support strikes on Crimea a ‘relentless escalation’

Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk
©AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Elon Musk called Washington’s reported readiness to support Ukrainian strikes on Crimea a "relentless escalation" Friday, calling it "risky for the world."

"I am super pro Ukraine, but relentless escalation is very risky for Ukraine and the world," Musk tweeted.

I am super pro Ukraine, but relentless escalation is very risky for Ukraine and the world

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 20, 2023

He posted this tweet in response to another user, who linked the corresponding article in The New York Times.

Earlier this week, the newspaper reported citing its sources that the Biden Administration is inclined to think that the Ukrainian military should be able to strike Crimean territory, thus acquiring a stronger position at future negotiations, "even if such step increases the risk of an escalation."

US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said Friday that Washington considers Crimea a part of Ukraine, adding that Kiev, in Washington’s opinion, should independently decide which regions to strike or to seek to regain control over.

More Western weapons supplies to Kiev to bring about escalation — Russian MFA

Statements by Western countries about the need to supply Kiev with any weapons, including those capable of hitting targets in Crimea, are raising the stakes in the conflict and will inevitably lead to an escalation, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said in a commentary on Friday.

In particular, she drew attention to The New York Times report which claimed that the US administration was considering options for supplying Kiev with additional weapons to attack Crimea. In addition, Zakharova recalled that the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had urged partners to give Kiev "any weapon it can use."

"We regard all this as an open, provocative instigation by the West and a raising of the stakes in the conflict, which will inevitably lead to greater casualties and a dangerous escalation," Zakharova said.

She stated that the West was "plunging ever deeper into the conflict in Ukraine": supplies of Western air defense systems and tanks to Kiev are being discussed at the US base in Ramstein, Germany and Western countries are also training Ukrainian military personnel.

The commentary stresses that Kiev is using the tragedy in Dnepropetrovsk to obtain more arms supplies from the West.

"A freelance adviser to the office of the President of Ukraine, Alexey Arestovich, initially admitted that the Ukrainian air defense’s actions were the cause of the tragedy, but then he began to backtrack," Zakharova pointed out. "[Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky's regime is shamelessly trying to use this tragedy to press the West for tougher anti-Russian sanctions and new arms shipments.

Serangan rudal di Dnipro dilakukan oleh Ukrania

Perwakilan Tetap Rusia untuk PBB Vasily Nebenzya ©Kementerian Luar Negeri Rusia/TASS

Serangan missile di Dnipro yang dipropaganda media utama barat, bbc, cnn, washingtonpost, nytimes, reuters, aljaazera hingga turut disebar luas oleh media -media utama lokal Indonesia, itu adalah akibat serangan Rusia. Ternyata lagi - lagi itu adalah bagian dari episode propaganda AS dan Sekutunya di Ukrania. Berdasarkan Pengakuan Ajudan Presiden Ukrania, Aide Alexey Arestovich, itu akibat serangan missil ukrania. Karena pembocoran ini ia diminta untuk mengundurkan diri.

Rezim kyiv "membungkam" orang-orang Ukraina yang mengakui dengan jelas tentang korban sipil oleh pasukan Ukraina, seperti yang terjadi dengan mantan Ajudan Presiden Ukraina Alexey Arestovich, kata Perwakilan Tetap Rusia untuk PBB Vasily Nebenzya, Jumat.

"Propaganda Ukraina pada umumnya mencoba, dengan cara apa pun, untuk mencegah penyebaran informasi bahwa penduduk sipil kota dan permukiman Ukraina paling sering mati karena peluru dari mereka yang seharusnya melindungi mereka, yaitu batalion nasionalis dan unit bersenjata Ukraina pasukan," katanya pada pertemuan Arria-formula Dewan Keamanan PBB tentang serangan penembakan Ukraina di Donbass yang diselenggarakan oleh pihak Rusia.

"Konon, segera setelah seseorang di Barat atau di Ukraina mengakui fakta-fakta yang jelas ini, dia segera diberangus. Misalnya, inilah yang terjadi dengan corong propaganda kyiv, Ajudan Presiden Ukraina Arestovich yang, setelah mengungkapkan rincian sebuah tragedi di Dnepropetrovsk, dituduh menyebarkan propaganda Rusia dan dipaksa mengundurkan diri," tambah utusan itu.

Ajudan Presiden Ukraina Alexey Arestovich mengajukan pengunduran dirinya pada 14 Januari setelah dia dikritik tajam karena mengatakan bahwa bagian dari bangunan tempat tinggal di Dnipro (Dnepropetrovsk) telah runtuh karena proyektil yang ditembak jatuh oleh pertahanan udara Ukraina jatuh di atasnya.

Pada 16 Januari, legislator Ukraina Alexey Goncharenko melaporkan bahwa petisi untuk memecat Arestovich diluncurkan.

Pada 17 Januari, kantor kepresidenan Ukraina menerima pengunduran diri Arestovich dan membebaskannya dari tugasnya.

Banyak propanda seperti ini di Ukrania adalah ciri khas propaganda Amerika Serikat, seperti pada peristiwa 911 World Trade Center, satu kejadian tiba - tiba tapi punya kesempatan merekam kejadian dengan sempurna. Lebih Jauh ini adalah model Yahudi membangun fitnah di permukaan bumi sepanjang masa.

Pendiri Wagner menyebut orang Amerika 'rekan' setelah pernyataan di PMC

Pendiri perusahaan militer swasta Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, menyebut Amerika sebagai "rekan" setelah AS mengumumkan niatnya untuk menjatuhkan sanksi terhadap kelompok yang ditunjuk grup Wagner sebagai "organisasi kriminal transnasional".

"Akhirnya, sekarang PMC Wagner dan Amerika adalah rekan kerja. Hubungan kita mulai sekarang dapat disebut "pertikaian klan kriminal," kata Prigozhin dalam komentar yang dipublikasikan di saluran Telegram layanan persnya pada hari Jumat.

AS akan menunjuk perusahaan militer swasta Wagner Rusia sebagai organisasi kriminal transnasional dan akan menjatuhkan sanksi tambahan terhadapnya minggu depan, Koordinator Dewan Keamanan Nasional AS untuk Komunikasi Strategis John Kirby mengatakan pada pengarahan sebelumnya pada hari Jumat.

"Pertama, Departemen Keuangan akan menunjuk Wagner sebagai organisasi kriminal transnasional yang signifikan di bawah Perintah Eksekutif 13581 sebagaimana telah diubah. Dalam koordinasi dengan penunjukan ini kami juga akan menjatuhkan sanksi tambahan minggu depan terhadap Wagner dan jaringan pendukungnya di berbagai benua," White kata juru bicara keamanan nasional DPR.

Russian forces wipe out US-made M109 Paladin artillery system in Kherson area

M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system
© AP Photo/Mike Derer

Russian forces destroyed a US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system and also D-30 and Msta-B howitzers in the Kherson area over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.

"In the Kherson direction, an American M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system was destroyed at a firing position along with two howitzers (D-30 and Msta-B) in the counter-battery warfare," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed a US-made counter-battery radar and a Ukrainian military equipment hangar in the Zaporozhye Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"A hangar storing Ukrainian armaments and military equipment was obliterated in the area of the settlement of Kamenskoye in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar was destroyed in the area of the settlement of Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

Russian combat aircraft and artillery destroyed roughly 30 Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk area, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the Western Military District inflicted damage by firepower on units of the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 92nd mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Timkovka, Tabayevka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.

As a result of the strikes, Russian forces "destroyed as many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, an armored combat vehicle, two pickup trucks, and also two D-20 and D-30 howitzers," the general specified.

Russian artillery delivered strikes on Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating over 40 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, artillery of the Central Military District inflicted damage on units of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd and 66th mechanized brigades near the communities of Stelmakhovka and Makeyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, and also on the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade in the area of the Serebryansky forestry," the spokesman said.

"The enemy’s losses in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to over 40 personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, four armored combat vehicles and a D-20 howitzer," the general specified.

Russian forces also wiped out a Ukrainian artillery ammunition depot near the settlement of Krasny Liman in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Konashenkov reported.

Russian forces liberated the community of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, he said.

"In the Donetsk direction, volunteers of assault teams supported by operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Southern Military District liberated the settlement of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces liberated the community of Lobkovoye in their offensive operations in the Zaporozhye Region, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Zaporozhye direction, units of the Eastern Military District liberated the community of Lobkovoye in the Zaporozhye Region as a result of their successful offensive operations," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian military lost about 90 troops, four armored vehicles and three howitzers in the Zaporozhye area over the past day as a result of damage inflicted by Russian forces, Konashenkov reported.

"The enemy’s losses [in the Zaporozhye area] in the past 24 hours totaled as many as 90 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, four armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, and also two D-20 and D-30 howitzers," the spokesman said.

Russian fighter aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter in the Kherson Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the community of Posad-Pokrovskoye in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces struck 78 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces inflicted damage on 78 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 103 areas," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"A depot storing ammunition for the Ukrainian army’s multiple launch rocket systems was destroyed near the community of Zvanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, as many as 60 Ukrainian military personnel, three armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and also Giatsint-B and D-20 howitzers were eliminated over the past day," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter in the Kharkov Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Russian air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the settlement of Lozovaya in the Kharkov Region. In the past 24 hours, they also destroyed five unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Chervonopopovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Berdyansk in the Zaporozhye Region, Kirillovka and Zelyony Gai in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They intercepted six rockets of HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems near the communities of Mirnoye and Lyubimovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

Russian troops have destroyed over 2,900 Ukrainian army drones since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, he said.

"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation: 374 warplanes, 202 helicopters, 2,908 unmanned aerial vehicles, 401 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,583 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 985 multiple launch rocket systems, 3,878 field artillery guns and mortars, and also 8,121 special military motor vehicles," Konashenkov reported.

France: Over 1 million march against raising retirement age

People gather on Place de la Republique during a demonstration against proposed pension changes, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 in Paris. Workers in many French cities took to the streets Thursday to reject proposed pension changes that would push back the retirement age, amid a day of nationwide strikes and protests seen as a major test for Emmanuel Macron and his presidency. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)

At least 1.1 million people protested on the streets of Paris and other French cities Thursday amid nationwide strikes against plans to raise the retirement age — but President Emmanuel Macron insisted he would press ahead with the proposed pension reforms.

Emboldened by the mass show of resistance, French unions announced new strikes and protests Jan. 31, vowing to try to get the government to back down on plans to push up the standard retirement age from 62 to 64. Macron says the measure - a central pillar of his second term — is needed to keep the pension system financially viable, but unions say it threatens hard-fought worker rights.

Large-scale demonstration against pension reform takes place in Paris, tens of thousands of people participate.

The clashes began at a demonstration in Paris, the police used tear gas

Out of the country for a French-Spanish summit in Barcelona, Macron acknowledged the public discontent but said that “we must do that reform” to “save” French pensions.

“We will do it with respect, in a spirit of dialogue but also determination and responsibility,” he added.

As Macron spoke, riot police pushed back against some protesters throwing projectiles on the sidelines of the largely peaceful Paris march. Some other minor incidents briefly flared up, leading officers to use tear gas.

Paris police said that 38 people were detained as a mass of people thronged the streets of the capital despite freezing rain, the crowd so big that it took hours to reach their destination. Retirees and college students joined the diverse crowd, united in their fear and anger over the reform.

In a country with an aging population and growing life expectancy where everyone receives a state pension, Macron’s government says the reform is the only way to keep the system solvent.

Unions propose a tax on the wealthy or more payroll contributions from employers to finance the pension system instead.

Polls suggest most French people oppose the reform, and Thursday was the first public reaction to Macron’s plan. Strikes severely disrupted transport, schools and other public services, and more than 200 rallies were staged around France.

The Interior Ministry said more than 1.1 million people protested, including 80,000 in Paris. Unions said more than 2 million people took part nationwide, and 400,000 in Paris.

France, protests against pension reform. Clashes between protesters and police in Paris continued until late in the evening. Meanwhile, 8 leading trade unions of the country promised a second such action on January 31st.

The police used tear gas, and the media wrote about 30 detainees. The Interior Ministry said more than 1 million people took to the streets on Thursday (up from 80,000 in Paris), while one of the trade unions, the General Confederation of Labor, counted 2 million across the country and 400,000 in the capital.

Big crowds also turned out for protests against previous efforts at retirement reform, notably during Macron’s first term and under former President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2010. But none of those drew more than 1 million people according to government estimates.

Jean Paul Cachina, 56, a worker in human resources, joined the march in the French capital — a first ever for him.

“I am not here for myself,” he said. “I am here to defend the youth and workers doing demanding jobs. I work in the construction industry sector and I’m a first-hand witness of the suffering of employees.”

Many young people were among the Paris crowd, including high school students.

Nathan Arsac, 19, a student and member of the UNEF union, said: “I’m afraid of what’s going to happen next. Losing our social achievements could happen so fast. I’m scared of the future when I’ll be older and have to retire.”

Sylvie Béchard, a 59-year-old nurse, said that she joined the march because “we, health care workers, are physically exhausted.”

“The only thing we have is to demonstrate, and to block the economy of the country,” she added.

The economic cost of Thursday’s strikes wasn’t immediately clear, but protracted walkouts could hobble the economy just as France is struggling against inflation and trying to boost growth.

Police unions opposed to the retirement reform also took part in the protests, while those on duty sought to contain scattered unrest.

Most train services around France were halted, including some international connections, and about 20% of flights out of Paris’ Orly Airport were canceled.

The Education Ministry said more than a third of teachers were on strike, and national electricity company EDF announced that power supplies were substantially reduced Thursday amid the strikes.

The Versailles Palace was closed Thursday while the Eiffel Tower warned about potential disruptions and the Louvre Museum closed some exhibition rooms.

Others worry the reform will hit harder for low-income workers, who live less long than the wealthy.

“It’s a social issue. Do you want to retire sick, broken and even some dead? Or do you want to enjoy life?” asked Fabien Villedieu, a 45-year-old railway worker,

French Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt acknowledged “concerns” prompted by the pension plans but said the government rejected other options involving raising taxes — which he said would hurt the economy and cost jobs — or reducing pensions.

The French government is formally presenting the pension bill on Monday and it will head to Parliament next month. Its success will depend in part on the scale and duration of the strikes and protests.

Most opposition parties, including the left and the far-right, are strongly against the plan. Macron’s centrist alliance lost its parliamentary majority last year, yet still has the biggest group at the National Assembly, where it hopes to ally with the conservative The Republicans party to approve the pension reforms.

Under the planned changes, workers must have worked for at least 43 years to be entitled to a full pension. For those who do not fulfil that condition, like many women who interrupted their career to raise children or those who studied for a long time and started working late, the retirement age would remain unchanged at 67.

Those who started to work under the age of 20 and workers with major health issues would be allowed early retirement.

Protracted strikes met Macron’s last effort to raise the retirement age in 2019. He eventually withdrew it after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Retirement rules vary widely from country to country, making direct comparisons difficult. The official retirement age in the U.S. is now 67, and countries across Europe have been raising pension ages as populations grow older and fertility rates drop.

But opponents of Macron’s reform note that, under the French system, people are already required to work more years overall than in some neighboring countries to receive a full pension. The plan is also seen by many as endangering the welfare state that’s central to French society