Clashes erupted in Paris and other French cities as thousands joined cost-of-living rallies. Police arrested over 250 people.
PARIS — Protesters clashed with police in Paris and other French cities Saturday during nationwide demonstrations against rising living costs. Police used tear gas on groups of hooded and masked demonstrators in the capital, and riot officers were deployed in large numbers around the Place de la République, according to reports from the scene. Dozens of people were reportedly detained in Paris.
France’s Interior Ministry recorded 140 protest actions nationwide with 32,800 participants by midday, and said more than 250 people had been arrested. Local media reported that demonstrators breached the town hall in Marseille and looted shops, and that a tourism office in Lyon was set on fire. Those accounts had not been independently confirmed in the reporting reviewed. Beyond the clashes, many demonstrations were peaceful, with unions, teachers, health care workers and other residents taking part.
The protests were expected to bring together students, teachers, trade unions and a resurgent “yellow vest” movement. That movement began in 2018 as a grassroots protest over fuel costs and drew nationwide demonstrations through 2020. Saturday’s rallies followed weeks of protests by French high school students over conditions in their schools. Some students reported serious injuries from police during those protests, including a 15-year-old girl who lost a hand.
The demonstrations come as the government negotiates a budget and looks for ways to curb its growing national debt. French presidential elections are due next year. Bruno Cautres, a researcher at the Paris-based Center for Political Research, described the day as the culmination of several mobilizations, including those of students, teachers, nurses, farmers and yellow vests. He said public frustration was fueled by high taxes combined with a large debt and deficit that limit the government’s room to meet demands.
President Emmanuel Macron appealed for calm Friday in Brussels, the day before the protests. He said the right to protest is protected by the constitution but carries a duty to respect people and property and to avoid insults and destruction.
Information for this report came from Al Jazeera, Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press.