Steelworkers Try to Force Their Way Into Meeting

PARIS — Steelworkers angry about reduced hours and job insecurity attempted Tuesday to crash the ArcelorMittal shareholders meeting in Luxembourg, trying to break through the front door and throwing firecrackers until they were driven off by riot police officers.

The police said about 2,000 Belgian and French steelworkers gathered at the headquarters of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel maker, outside the company’s annual general meeting at in the Grand Duchy.

Most of the workers, many of whom came from the Belgian cities of Charleroi and Liege, demonstrated peacefully, said Vic Reuter, a spokesman for the Luxembourg police. But a small group sought to break into the headquarters building, he said, where they were met by 200 police officers, including riot policemen who had been kept in reserve.

“They threw cobblestones and iron bars and fired at us with slingshots,” Mr. Reuter said. “The police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets fired from air rifles.” The bulk of the demonstrators remained calm, he said, and sought to “cool down” the rioters.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/business/global/13steel.html?_r=1