French students protest, despite Chirac climbdown

French students, encouraged by President Jacques Chirac’s cave-in on a youth jobs measure, were preparing new protests today to try to get rid of other government labour reforms.

Unions declared victory yesterday after Chirac dumped the measure that had spurred nationwide unrest, paralysed high schools and universities and discredited the government.

Chirac’s retreat, and school holidays that started this week, may mean today’s protests are smaller than previous mass nationwide actions.

But police fanned out around the start of the Paris protest several hours in advance, on alert for more of the violence and mayhem that has marred many marches.

Students hoping to use their momentum to force the government to back down on other measures planned demonstrations today across the country.

Scattered groups staged impromptu protests. Dozens of students blocked a bus depot in the south-western city of Toulouse. Others briefly stormed the tarmac of an airport in western Nantes before authorities peacefully removed them, according to radio reports.