In brief
The French protest saw roughly 320,000 demonstrators according to Le Monde, with youth unions reporting up to 500,000 nationwide. Clashes at Porte de Charenton forced police to use tear gas and shut down more than 40 metro lines, as 70,000 police officers were deployed for security.
According to Xinhua, around 320,000 people participated in a new round of protests across France on Saturday, citing figures from French daily Le Monde, which relied on Interior Ministry data.
Xinhua reports that youth unions and student associations, however, claimed the nationwide turnout was nearer 500,000, including 200,000 demonstrators in Paris alone.
Paris public transport operator RATP announced that over 40 metro stations were closed on the day of the demonstrations, causing widespread disruptions.
The protests were largely peaceful, yet tensions eased into clashes near Porte de Charenton in Paris, where protesters hurled projectiles at police – who responded with tear gas, according to Le Monde.
Over 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed across the country to maintain security during the shows, a figure provided by the Interior Ministry, as reported by Xinhua.
These demonstrations mark the third major protest in France since mid‑October, following earlier rounds that began on Oct. 17.
