In brief
Nationwide demonstrations over cost of living spiralled into violence on Saturday, with police using tear gas and water cannons in key cities and over 1,300 people arrested. Incidents of arson, looting and injuries highlighted the volatility, even as authorities kept the riots from escalating further. A striking image of makeshift barricades ablaze in Marseille encapsulates the intensity of the unrest. The unrest comes amid a deeply polarized political climate and a looming presidential election.
Massive protests across France over cost of living and school conditions turned violent Saturday, with more than 1,300 arrests and police deploying tear gas, water cannons and elite riot units in major cities.
The Interior Ministry reported an estimated 410,000 participants nationwide, while trade unions counted up to 800,000. In Paris, clashes erupted near Porte d'Italie and Porte de Vincennes after a peaceful march dissolved into confrontation with masked youths and gunfire against police, leading to 142 arrests in the capital.
In Marseille barricades were built from rubbish bins and metal sheets—only to be set ablaze later that night—while Bordeaux saw shop owners stripped of boards used to create street blockages. Lyon, Toulouse and Clermont‑Ferrand experienced tear gas deployment, with a 20‑year‑old in Toulouse suffering severe injury from an exploding crowd‑control grenade.
Forty‑five hard‑hit businesses in Marseille were looted or damaged, and police reported 53 officers injured across the country. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned that arrests would likely rise as French President Emmanuel Macron restricted demonstrations to only those organised by recognised trade unions.
"We really want a change in France," a teenage protester told the BBC in Paris, echoing the sentiment of a frustrated generation that feels abandoned by the political establishment. "The protests will end when we have a response to our demands," the youth added.
The unrest sets the stage for a highly divisive presidential race, with Marine Le Pen of the National Rally and Jean‑Luc Mélenchon of La France Unbowed vying for power as Macron prepares to leave office. Political leaders from both sides have blamed the disorder on either the Macron administration or the rioters themselves.
Similar grievances sparked protests across Europe—Barcelona, Tirana and Brussels saw clashes; Milan’s authorities preempted a potential uprising with a major security operation, fearing a repeat of last week’s violence.
