INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
French President Emmanuel Macron has been rushed out of a theatre in Paris after protesters tried to confront him.Dozens of demonstrators
had gathered outside the Les Bouffes du Nord theatre on Friday evening where Mr Macron was watching a play, reportedly with his wife
Brigitte.Police tried to hold back the protesters but some managed to enter the building, amid chants of "Macron, resign!" and "We are here,
even if Macron does not want us we are here".Image:Dozens of protesters had gathered outside the theatreImage:Police tried to stop the
demonstrators but some entered the buildingA black car reported to be carrying the French president then sped away under a hail of
boos.According to reports, he later returned to the theatre to watch the play - a modernist drama called The Fly.The incident came on the
44th day of strikes aimed at overturning the French government's plans to overhaul the country's pension system.On Friday, protesters
blocked the entrance to the Louvre museum and forced the famous Paris landmark to close.More from Emmanuel MacronImage:Protesters blocked
the entrance to the Louvre museumSome museum employees were among the demonstrators who chanted: "Mona Lisa in on strike, Leonardo is on
strike."It is the first time since railway strikes and protests against the pension overhaul began on 5 December that the Louvre and its
Leonardo da Vinci exhibit were fully shut down.Image:Tourists wait to get into the Louvre museum during the protestSeveral dozen people also
invaded the headquarters of the CFDT union, which favours a point-system that Mr Macron wants to put in place to determine retirement
benefits.The protesters were seen on video singing and mocking the union's leader.Mr Macron condemned the action as violent, unacceptable
and "shameful for our democracy."Image:Mr Macron has faced weeks of protestsMeanwhile, dozens of lawyers opposing the president's proposed
pension reforms put on a dance show in Versailles wearing their black robes.Unions have called for a seventh round of street marches next
Friday, when the contested pension plan is to be presented to France's cabinet.The weeks of strikes and protests have disrupted public
transport, schools, hospitals, courthouses and even opera houses and the Eiffel tower.Image:Unions have called for a seventh round of street
marches next FridayMajor French retailers Fnac Darty and Casino said that business in France has been badly affected by the strikes.Fnac
Darty said the strikes had cost it around €70m (£60m) in lost revenue.Meanwhile, Casino estimates that the strikes in December cost it
about €80m (£68m) in lost revenue.Image:Workers of the Paris transport network (RATP) attend a strikeThe French prime minister's office
said earlier this week that the SNCF train authority and the RATP, which runs public transport, had lost more than a €1bn (£852m) since
the start of the strike.Trains have suffered most, so far losing some €850m (£724m).While the number of striking workers has diminished
since the movement, the country's trains and the Paris subway were still disrupted on Friday.
