Hundreds of protests were held in France Saturday as nationwide anger grows over the cost of living, with security forces out in force to prevent a repeat of violence that marred last weekend’s demonstrations. Here are the latest developments: – Nearly 1,000 arrested – French police arrested “nearly 1,000” people across the country as officers were confronted with “an extremely elevated level of violence” from black-clad extremists, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.
Although the marches themselves had “passed off well” in cities, “ultra-left” groups took to throwing projectiles and aiming fireworks at police to provoke clashes, he told journalists. Two people were “seriously injured”, he said: one in the city of Toulouse, where a 20-year-old man reportedly had fingers blown off, and the other in Clermont-Ferrand. – Clashes in Paris – Clashes broke out in Paris at the end of the protest march on the eastern edge of the capital.
AFP reporters saw police use batons and tear gas to push back demonstrators. Officials said a water cannon was also used.”The police started moving towards everyone, telling them to get down and back off. They were just taking people down, you know, beating protesters,” one demonstrator bleeding from a baton blow, who gave his first name as David, told AFP. – 410,000 demonstrated in France – The interior ministry said late Saturday it estimated a total 410,000 people turned out in nationwide demonstrations over the cost of living, with 110,000 in Paris.
One of the unions organising the rallies, the CGT, said it estimated 800,000 people participated across the country, with 250,000 in Paris. Clashes were reported in Paris, Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse. Paris police said more than 3,000 people were stopped and checked by officers and 65 were arrested during the demonstration there. – Thousands march in Marseille – A march in Marseille drew 17,000 participants, according to police, and 100,000, according to unions.
On the sidelines of the march, police clashed with some demonstrators, who targeted several local businesses, an AFP reporter observed. – More tear gas fired – French police fired tear gas to prevent protesters in Lyon, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse from reaching city centres, AFP journalists saw. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had warned that authorities “will not tolerate any violence or any disturbance of public order.” – Weapons seized in Paris – Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, listing the first arrest figures, said French police had also seized a variety of weapons.
They included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana and airsoft weapons. – ‘Scandalous’ – Earlier, hundreds of demonstrators had gathered at Porte d’Italie on the edge of Paris, after police at the last minute ordered the union-organised march be moved from Bastille, in the centre. Union representative Murielle Guilbert told reporters it was “scandalous” that President Emmanuel Macron had forbidden protesters from demonstrating “where we wish to demonstrate”. – Halloween protests called – The Yellow Vests — a loosely organised group that staged disruptive street protests against President Emmanuel Macron eight years ago — said they would hold another round of protests on October 31.
Organisers called for rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls nationwide, condemning the “authoritarian drift” of Macron’s government and urging citizens to stand up for “public freedoms”. – ‘Macron resign’ – Thousands of people yelling anti-fascist slogans marched in the city of Orleans against a congress by far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) party there, AFP journalists saw.
The protest criticised both leading presidential candidate Le Pen and centrist Macron. – Louvre, Orsay closed – The Louvre, d’Orsay, and Picasso museums, as well as the Grand Palais in Paris, were closed Saturday. The culture ministry had called on institutions to take every measure to ensure the safety of visitors and staff, and the protection of artworks. burs-jj/yad
Sat, 24 Oct 2026 20:06:32 GMT