Guards blocking prisons around France in week 2 of protest

Protesting guards are blocking some of France’s 188 prisons as the conflict triggered by attacks on guards enters its second week. (Photo by Jobs For Felons Hub/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

PARIS — Protesting guards are blocking some of France’s 188 prisons as the conflict triggered by attacks on guards enters its second week.

About 100 guards protested in front of the Marseille prison on Monday, setting a small fire and blocking entrances. It wasn’t immediately clear how many prisons were affected by the protests — or how many people had responded to a call by the Workers’ Force union for guards to walk off the job entirely.

Unions representing protesting prison guards called for a “total blockage” as the Justice Ministry said a new round of talks was expected. Guards rejected ministry proposals last week.

Attacks in about a half-dozen prisons have fueled guards’ demands for more staff and better security.