French police fired tear gas and launched baton charges in Paris and Lyon on Saturday as hundreds of thousands of people, predominantly young, marched across the country to protest living costs and the state of public education. The demonstrations mark the third consecutive weekend of widespread unrest in France.
Organizers from a coalition of youth organizations and labor unions representing high school and university students put nationwide turnout at nearly half a million participants, including 200,000 in Paris. Meanwhile, government authorities estimated total participation at 320,000, with 70,000 in the capital.
Marches in Paris began peacefully but deteriorated into clashes as demonstrators approached the scheduled endpoint. Bins and street furniture were set ablaze, sending thick plumes of smoke over the city. Riot police warned crowds over loudspeakers that additional tear gas would be deployed if streets were not cleared, while medics treated and evacuated injured individuals. On the city’s outskirts, dozens of masked individuals dressed in black used hammers to pry up paving stones to hurl at security forces. At least one incendiary device was thrown, prompting police responses with tear gas and baton charges.
According to the French Ministry of Interior, at least 290 people were arrested nationwide.
Many demonstrators expressed deep frustration with the administration. While the majority of protesters condemned the property damage and violence, participants reported that public faith in leadership had completely eroded. Officials stated that the government has acknowledged the grievances, noting that Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu held multiple meetings with student unions during the week to explore cost-of-living relief measures.
Ahead of the weekend, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned of a very high risk of disorder, particularly after dark on Halloween, leading to the deployment of approximately 70,000 police and gendarmes nationwide. The main march in Paris was relocated to the city’s eastern edge following a last-minute court battle, and unaccompanied minors faced a 9 p.m. local time curfew around the Champs-Elysees.
The unrest originated last month when high school students initiated demonstrations against neglected school buildings, teacher shortages, and a university admissions system they argued disadvantaged lower-income students. Labor unions subsequently joined the movement. A previous round of demonstrations on October 17 drew more than 500,000 people and triggered severe rioting and looting in Paris.
Protest movements over economic pressures and education issues have also spread to other European nations. In Germany, thousands rallied on Saturday across more than 30 cities against rising costs, education cuts, and proposed military conscription plans, with police in Cologne deploying water cannons to disperse crowds. In Spain, regional police in Barcelona maintained high alert levels following October 24 rioting that resulted in roughly 130 arrests, primarily of minors. Italian law enforcement similarly heightened security following recent student clashes in Milan, Turin, and Bologna.
