SORBONNE; NEWSPAPER HEADLINES; POLICE CAR PATROLS; SIGN; ARMED POLICE; DOCUMENTS AND VEHICLES CHECKED; MAN DETAINED.




Initials GHB/V/MR/PF



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THOUSANDS OF FRENCH PEOPLE, CALLED OUT BY STUDENTS AND TRADE UNIONS, DEMONSTRATED PEACEFULLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY LAST NIGHT (WEDNESDAY) IN DEFIANCE OF A GOVERNMENT BAN ON OPEN AIR MEETINGS. IN PARIS, SEVERAL HUNDRED STUDENTS, WAVING RED AND BLACK FLAGS, MARCHED ROUND THE CITE UNIVERSITAIRE, A SUBURBAN BLOCK OF BUILDINGS WHICH HOUSES FOREIGN STUDENTS, AND ANOTHER GROUP DEMONSTRATED IN THE PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE.

ALL DEMONSTRATIONS IN FRANCE PASSED OFF PEACEFULLY, WITH NO REPETITION OF THE OUTBREAKS OF VIOLENCE WHICH HAD BEEN PREVALENT BETWEEN THE STUDENTS AND POLICE.

AROUND THE SORBONNE AREA ON THE LEFT BANK, SMALL GROUPS OF STUDENTS GATHERED ON THE BOULEVARDS BUT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO START FORMAL DEMONSTRATIONS.

RIOT POLICE GUARDED THE BRIDGES AND STOOD BY FOR POSSIBLE VIOLENCE, BUT DID NOT TRY TO BREAK UP THE GROUPS, CHECKS WERE MADE ON IDENTITY AND SOME VEHICLES WERE SEARCHED. THIS FILM SHOWS ONE MAN BEING TAKEN FOR QUESTIONING.