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2010-10-22 05:47:34
The BBC's Christian Fraser said riot police had "wrestled back control" of the
refinery as they clashed with protesters
Clashes have broken out outside a major oil refinery in France after riot
police moved in to clear strikers who blockaded the terminal for 10 days.
Two people were hurt outside the Grandpuits refinery east of Paris, one of 12
facilities affected by strikes.
President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered the authorities to lift the blockade earlier
this week after thousands of petrol stations across France ran dry.
The Senate will vote later on pension reforms, which sparked the action.
The unions have called two further days of protests on top of the rolling
strikes in protest at the government's plans to increase the retirement age
from 60 to 62 and the full state pension age from 65 to 67.
'Scandal'
Around 100 police arrived at Grandpuits at 0300 (0100 GMT) with a local
government official who said he had an order to reopen the plant.
Start Quote
"There is not much left in the pumps. This will relieve some of that
End Quote Jean Michel Drevet Seine and Marne prefect
The Total refinery at Grandpuits, the closest to Paris, is seen as critical for
supplying fuel to the city and the main airports at Orly and Charles de Gaulle.
Union official Charles Foulard described the action as "a scandal" because
police had acted in the middle of the night when the number of protesters was
relatively small.
He also complained that workers had been forced to help restart operations at
Grandpuits under an emergency order.
A decree, known as a requisition, can compel strikers to return to work under
threat of prosecution if the authorities believe there is a threat to public
disorder.
A few hours later, dozens of strikers formed a human chain at the entrance to
the refinery in an attempt to stop the requisitioned workers going in.
Scuffles broke out as police moved in to clear the entrance and minutes later
workers were seen going into the refinery.
At least two people were hurt. One man was taken away by ambulance.
'Not much left'
The official who carried out the order, Seine and Marne prefect Jean Michel
Drevet, said the blockade had been lifted before dawn so as not to provoke
trouble.
He added that the decision had been taken by the government to alleviate the
fuel crisis.
"There is not much left in the pumps," he said. "This will relieve some of
that."
All 12 of France's oil refineries have been affected as workers protest against
the government's reforms.
Fuel depots and petrol stations across the country have been hit.
On Friday, Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said one in five service stations
was still dry but he said the situation was gradually improving.
"Some days ago, 40% of the stations were dry. Then it went down to 30% and
today it's between 20 and 21%," he said.
National protests against the raising of the retirement age began at the start
of September, and earlier this week more than a million demonstrators took to
the streets across France.
Youths have clashed with police in parts of Paris and Lyon as well as in other
towns and cities.