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A proposal to lay off almost 3,000 Air France workers has turned contentious. The Associated Press reports that activists protesting the layoffs broke a fence to get inside Air France headquarters, and tore the shirts off of two executives who were forced to flee.
Here’s an eyewitness account from an AP employee: “An Associated Press photographer saw about a hundred activists rush the building after breaking through a gate. Shortly afterward two high-level managers fled, one bare-chested and the other with his shirt and suit jacket shredded.” These executives were forced to escape by scaling a fence. You can see them on the New York Times/Reuters video above being led through a crowd of protestors beforehand by police.
Here’s a more specific account of what happened, from the New York Times:
As the Air France executives detailed the latest restructuring plan, union activists swarmed into the room, waving flags and chanting protests… Air France’s chief of human resources, Xavier Broseta, and another of the company’s executives, Pierre Plissonnier, were ushered outside. Television footage showed the two men being jostled and enveloped by a large crowd that broke open a locked fence to continue their pursuit.
Workers surrounded Mr. Broseta and tore his shirt off, leaving him half naked as police officers helped him flee over a tall fence. Police also hoisted Mr. Plissonnier over a fence to help him escape after protesters ripped his shirt and suit jacket.
The protest comes after Air France proposed laying off 2,900 workers, as well as getting rid of five routes and 35 weekly long-haul flights. After the shirt-tearing incident, Air France condemned the violence that occurred, and said it would forge on with these plans. The human resources executive, Xavier Broseta, apparently put on a new shirt and tie before saying, “We are fighting every day for an Air France that will have lasting growth. Violence and intimidation will have no part of that.”