French pension protesters flood LVMH headquarters in Paris

Scores of French workers protesting against pension reforms flooded into the Paris headquarters of luxury group LVMH on Thursday, calling for the rich to contribute more to financing the state pension.

More than 100 protesters were seen milling around the wood-panelled entrance hall of the building on the upscale Avenue Montaigne and climbing an escalator that leads to the upper floors, while others filled the street outside, many waving flags of the railway workers' union Sud Rail.

"If you're looking for money to finance pensions, take it from the pockets of billionaires," said Fabien Villedieu, a representative of the Sud Rail union said, stressing that the protest was "symbolic and peaceful."

France's labour unions have been staging strikes and marches since mid-January in protest against President Emmanuel Macron's plans to raise the legal retirement age. On Thursday there were more demonstrations across France as trade unions urged a show of force on the streets a day before the Constitutional Council's ruling on the legality of the bill that would raise the retirement age by two years to 64.

The government says it is necessary to raise the retirement age for most workers to balance the pension budget in years to come. The unions say the money can be found elsewhere.

LVMH's billionaire chairman and chief executive Bernard Arnault has been a frequent target in slogans and chants during protests in France.

LVMH has benefited from a post-pandemic rebound in demand for luxury goods, and its shares have risen nearly 26% since the start of this year, cementing its lead as Europe's most valuable company.