French 'Spiderman' Stages Protest Climb Against Pension Reform
A daredevil French climber on Monday made his own contribution to a long-running protest against planned pension reforms, scurrying up a towering skyscraper just outside Paris.
"People spend 40 years of their lives slaving away, often in a job they don't even like," Alain Robert told AFP before beginning his climb. "We want people to live decently."
Robert, known worldwide for scaling landmark towers without ropes -- and usually without permission -- began his ascent of the 187-metre (614-feet) Total building in the La Defense business district at around 10:30 am (0930 GMT).
![Alain Robert made his own protest to France's planned pension reforms by scaling the Total tower just outside Paris on Monday.](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/2901397/alain-robert-made-his-own-protest-frances-planned-pension-reforms-scaling-total-tower-just.jpg?w=736&f=88304b428665163d8a644a1f056fc51b)
Passers-by gaped as he mounted the lattice of metal-framed glass panes, taking 52 minutes to reach the top, where as usual police and security guards were waiting.
"It was quite cold, I couldn't feel the tips of my fingers so it was tricky," Robert said. "And also I'm not in the same shape as I was 20 years ago!"
"I'm 57, so technically not far from retirement. And climbing is the only way I make money," Robert said before being taken away.
!["I'm 57, so technically not far from retirement. And climbing is the only way I make money," Alain Robert said after reaching the top.](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/2901399/im-57-so-technically-not-far-retirement-climbing-only-way-i-make-money-alain-robert-said.jpg?w=736&f=3bcaba65d95efe3c3eafd07eb4758f50)
"Will I have to keep climbing solo until I'm 64? Or even 67?"
Unions have been waging a crippling transport strike against the pension overhaul since December 5, disrupting train services and making commutes miserable for millions, especially in the Paris region.
The government wants to forge a single system from 42 separate schemes and intended to push back the official age for a full pension to 64 from 62 -- a measure it withdrew temporarily under union pressure over the weekend.
![Alain Robert, dubbed the French "Spiderman" for his exploits in climbing buildings around the world, was arrested in the German city of Frankfurt after scaling the "Skyper" tower](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/2901401/alain-robert-dubbed-french-spiderman-his-exploits-climbing-buildings-around-world-was.jpg?w=736&f=729f48167c6e507d0d3c95a5d6307530)
"They need to stop telling people to work more and accept less, because that's what this reform is about," Robert said, echoing claims from France's hard-line unions, which are demanding the government withdraw its plan.
It is not the first time Robert has climbed to promote a political message.
Last August, he unfurled a "peace banner" while racing up the 68 floors of the Cheung Kong Center in Hong Kong as the city was rocked by pro-democracy protests challenging Beijing's authority.
And in 2015, Robert scaled the Engie tower in La Defense to draw attention to calls for a more transparent banking system.
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