Tensions rise at protest against pension reform in France.Turned in to Riots Clashes Police fired tear gas

PARIS, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated across France on Saturday seeking to keep up pressure on the government over its pen-sion reform plans, including a move to raise the retirement age to 64 from 62.
After three days of nationwide strikes since the start of the year, unions are hoping to match a mass turnout from Jan. 19 when more than a million people marched in opposition to the plans.
"If they're not able to listen to what's happening on the streets, and are not able to realise what is happening with the people, well they shouldn't be surprised that it blows up at some point," Delphine Maisonneuve, a 43-year-old nurse told Reuters as a protest in Paris kicked off.
The French spend the largest number of years in retirement among OECD coun-tries - a benefit which, opinion polls show, a substantial majority of people are reluc-tant to give up.
President Emmanuel Macron says the reform is "vital" to ensuring the viability of the pension system.
Early estimates showed that numbers had increased in Paris by about 20% from the last protest on Tuesday, newspaper Le Figaro reported.
Unions were hoping for a huge turnout for the first weekend protests since the movement began and to draw people from all ages and backgrounds to show the government that the anger against the reform runs deep.
SHUTTING DOWN FRANCE
In a joint statement ahead of Saturday's marches all the main unions called for the government to withdraw the bill.
They warned that they would seek to bring France to a standstill from March 7 if their demands were not met. A strike is already scheduled for Feb. 16.
REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier