Comment on this storyFrench President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday forcefully defended his move to push through legislation raising the retirement age, which has ignited protests and strikes around the country.

Macron implied that the unrest in France could foment political violence similar to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — a “scandalous” suggestion, Philippe Martinez, the secretary general of the hard-line CGT union confederation, told reporters.

Authorities detained hundreds of protesters in recent days, although few were charged, French media reported, and the Interior Ministry said 94 officers had been injured in confrontations since last Thursday.

Some union leaders have warned of broader social unrest reminiscent of the 2018 Yellow Vest movement in which regular clashes with police lasted until coronavirus pandemic restrictions were imposed.

Macron said the country had changed since his last term, as it grappled with the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and rising inflation, and that the state had spent tens of billions of dollars on protections.

Critics of the raising of the retirement age have given a range of arguments against it, including frustration with working conditions and concerns that blue-collar workers will be hit hardest.