9,600 tons of trash left on the street. 903 street fires. 457 arrests made. The “City of Lights” continues to burn on. 

French president Emmanuel Macron has been characterized by his continuously controversial policies throughout his presidency, his most recent decision regarding pension is no exception. 

Macron recently introduced a reform to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, spurring mass protests nationwide, but most notably, in Paris. 

Sanitary workers immediately went on strike, leaving the city flooded in garbage, making the streets susceptible to arson at every corner. 

The measure has been viewed as a violation of democracy, as the French citizens feel themselves to be unrepresented in their own government. Macron, himself, narrowly survived a vote of no confidence after bypassing parliament and the steps to ensure democratic legislature.

As tensions escalate, with the French police firing tear gas against the protestors, the world’s eye remains on Macron, as the French people remain a historically undeniable force.