A group of Air France current and former employees has gone on trial almost a year after two company executives had their shirts torn off when a meeting into job cuts turned violent.
Five of the 15 are charged with organised violence, which carries a maximum three-year prison sentence. The others are accused of damaging property.
Protestors outside the court at Bobigny near Paris have called for the charges to be dropped.
The accused were allegedly part of a 100-strong mob who broke down a fence and invaded an Air France board meeting on October 5 last year, forcing the executives to run.
They had been discussing 3,000 job cuts and extending pilots’ working hours.
The former human resources vice-president had hits shirt torn off as he tried to flee over a fence, chased by demonstrators. Manager Pierre Plissonnier’s clothes were also ripped.
