As the sun rises on the bustling streets of Paris, the resounding clang of refuse trucks is the sweet sound of victory to a city that has been held hostage by the fetid stench of piled-up garbage for weeks. After a tenacious struggle against President Emmanuel Marcon’s pension bill, which aimed to raise the retirement age by two years, sanitation workers have finally yielded, suspending their three-week-long strike.

Amid the squalor and chaos of piled-up trash, a new day dawns, signaling the end of one of the most enduring symbols of opposition to the French government’s plans. The trash mounds, which have reached epic proportions – weighing up to 10,000 tons, the same as the Eiffel Tower – have become a stark visual and olfactory reminder of the workers’ opposition to the reforms.

The workers, who typically retire at the age of 57 due to the demanding nature of their jobs, but often work beyond that to increase their pension, had been fighting against the proposed pension bill, which would have pushed their retirement age to 59. For many, the prospect of working longer was simply untenable, citing health concerns.

The powerful CGT union, which represents the sanitation workers, announced the suspension of the strike as the government began requisitioning trucks, incinerators, and personnel to assist in the cleanup effort. This move, according to the CGT, had bled the movement, leading to its suspension. However, the union stressed that “the combat isn’t over.”

While the suspension of the strike is a welcome relief to many Parisians, the protests are far from over, with another day of action planned for April 6. Tuesday’s protests, which saw dozens of arrests and flare-ups of violence, drew significantly fewer people than previous demonstrations. The Interior Ministry put the number of demonstrators nationwide at 740,000, down from more than 1 million five days ago when protesters voiced their rage at Macron’s order to ram the bill through parliament without a vote.

For some, the end of the strike marks the beginning of the end of the demonstrations against the pension bill. However, for others, the fight against the law is far from over. As the city’s residents try to get back to some semblance of normal life, the colorful and creative sculptures made by artist Bisk, using the very trash that has been the center of the protests, serve as a reminder of the lighter side of life, bringing a smile to people’s faces in an otherwise tense environment.