Sarkozy Sets The Heavy Squad on the Riots as Demonstrations Over French Pension Reforms Continue

(many might chuckle, thinking that the French retirement age is too low anyway . . . but we need to remember that while they were working, they paid around 80% of their income to the government in trust that they would get it back . . . now they see the banksters stealing their money, and are upset . . . it seems that Americans are too dumbed-down/lazy to care if they are being robbed . . . )

Daily Mail
By Peter Allen

Armed with pump-action shotguns, sidearms and stun grenades the officers look like they belong in a war zone.

In fact they are elite French policemen who were deployed to the historic centre of Lyon yesterday to deal with rioting students.

President Nicolas Sarkozy took the extreme measure in the face of growing protests against an unpopular law aimed at increasing the retirement age from 60 to 62.

Nicknamed ‘Sarko’s Stormtroopers’, the GIPN (National Police Intervention Group) faced down 2,000 youngsters in Place Bellecour where cars had been set on fire and shop windows smashed.

The elite unit, whose motto is Cohesion Brings Strength, was set up in 1972 to deal with terrorists and hostage takers.

‘Deploying them on the streets was a tactical decision deemed necessary because of the acts of violence and vandalism aimed at the community,’ said an interior ministry spokesman.

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