In brief
On a frantic Saturday, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators across France fought with police, sparking clashes that left nearly 1,000 people detained. Tear gas, water cannons, and arson in Marseille and barricade‑setting in Bordeaux highlight the turmoil. While the protests began peacefully over economic grievances, violence erupted in Paris, Bordeaux, and Lyon. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned of rising arrests and injuries while France braces for its forthcoming presidential election.
Massive protests across France turned violent on Saturday, culminating in nearly 1,000 arrests and fire‑burned barricades in Marseille and clashes in Paris.
Police deployed around 70,000 officers and used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds that had begun over the cost of living and school‑budget cuts.
In Marseille, protestors built makeshift barricades from metal sheets and rubbish bins, which were later set ablaze; in Bordeaux, they dismantled building walls to block streets.
In Paris, confrontations erupted near the Porte d'Italie, with police baton‑charging masked youths and deploying a specialized counter‑terror unit. Several thousand activists flanked the march.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said about 1,000 people had been detained, a figure expected to rise, and that two residents were seriously injured in Toulouse and Clermont‑Ferrand.
“They take our money, tax us a lot, and keep us silent,” said 26‑year‑old Zelie. A masked teenage protester added, “We really want a change in France.”
The unrest comes six months before France’s presidential election, with the opposition pointing the finger at President Emmanuel Macron and his ministers.
Similar demonstrations expanded across Europe – in Brussels, Tirana and Milan – spotlighting growing discontent with economic hardship.
