Protesters Tear Air France Executives’ Shirts From Their Backs

Alan Taylor
October 5, 2015
17 Photos
In Focus

On Monday, October 5, union activists protesting against proposed layoffs at Air France-KLM broke through fences and disrupted a meeting, targeting at least two managers who were forced to flee the angry crowd, their clothes ripped from their backs. Air France-KLM had just announced a restructuring plan that would lead to 2,900 job cuts after pilots had refused to accept a proposal to work longer hours. Director of Air France in Orly Pierre Plissonnier and Air France Human Resources Director Xavier Broseta bore the brunt of the protest, eventually escaping over a fence with the help of security team members.

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Director of Air France in Orly Pierre Plissonnier, nearly shirtless, tries to cross a fence with the help of security and police officers after several hundred employees invaded the offices of Air France, interrupting the meeting of the Central Committee (CCE) in Roissy-en-France on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Air France union activists break through a gate as they storm the company headquarters to disturb a meeting at Roissy Airport, north of Paris, on October 5, 2015. #

Jacques Brinon / AP

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Air France union activists stand on a table as they stage a protest during a meeting at the company headquarters at Roissy Airport on October 5, 2015. #

Jacques Brinon / AP

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The director of Air France in Orly, Pierre Plissonnier, is taken away from the demonstrators by security officers after several hundred employees invaded the offices of Air France on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Air France Director of Human Resources Xavier Broseta, center left, and Director of Air France in Orly Pierre Plissonnier, center right, are protected by security guards during scuffles with union activists inside the company headquarters at Roissy Airport on October 5, 2015. #

Jacques Brinon / AP

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Director of Air France in Orly Pierre Plissonnier is taken away from the demonstrators by security officers outside the offices of Air France on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Director of Air France in Orly Pierre Plissonnier, center, is surrounded by employees at the Air France headquarters building on October 5, 2015. #

Jacky Naegelen / Reuters

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Director of Air France in Orly Pierre Plissonnier is taken away from demonstrators by security officers on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Pierre Plissonnier, right, runs away from demonstrators with the help of a security officer on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Pierre Plissonnier, nearly shirtless, is helped to a nearby fence by security and police officers on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Protected by security guards, Air France Director of Human Resources Xavier Broseta (center, back to the camera) tries to flee the Air France headquarters at Roissy Airport during scuffles with union activists on October 5, 2015. #

Jacques Brinon / AP

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A shirtless Xavier Broseta is evacuated by security after employees interrupted a meeting with representatives and staff at the Air France headquarters at the Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Roissy on October 5, 2015. #

Jacky Naegelen / Reuters

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Xavier Broseta is evacuated by security outside the Air France headquarters building on October 5, 2015. #

Jacky Naegelen / Reuters

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Air France Human Resources Director Xavier Broseta is helped over a fence by security and police officers after several hundred employees invaded the offices of Air France, interrupting the meeting of the Central Committee (CCE) in Roissy-en-France, on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Pierre Plissonnier and Xavier Broseta walk away from demonstrators, accompanied by riot police officers, on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Director of Air France in Orly Pierre Plissonnier and Air France Human Resources Director Xavier Broseta walk away from demonstrators after a protest in and outside the offices of Air France in Roissy-en-France on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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Employees of Air France shout slogans and hold placards reading “Gagey get away!” in front of the company headquarters during the launch of a layoffs plan at a central committee meeting in Roissy-en-France on October 5, 2015. #

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Getty

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