French police officers took to the streets of Paris for an “anger march” today against low morale, rising suicides and the Macron government’s controversial pension reforms.

The protesters claimed that accusations of violence against police officers were caused by Yellow Vest protesters and urged the government for pension reforms.

“There is a deep sense of despair,” David Le Bars, secretary-general of the SCPN-Unsa police union, told AFP. “All of the unions know that the police are sick with worry.”

Police officers who have served at least 27 years benefit from a bonus pension contribution every five years. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner – who earned the nickname “France’s No. 1 cop” for his unfaltering defence of police conduct during the Yellow Vest crisis – insisted on September 17 that he would fight “until the end” for this special provision for the police.

However, “Castaner doesn’t have all the cards in his hand; he’s playing a game of poker with the president and prime minister, who control the purse strings,” Yves Lefebre, secretary-general of the Unité-SG-FO union, told AFP. “We’re already thinking about what action we will take after October 2,” he continued.