Protests in France Bring More Than 290 Arrests as Germany Demonstrations Also Turn Violent

More than 290 people were arrested across France on Saturday after demonstrations over the rising cost of living and conditions in schools were followed by clashes between protesters and police in several cities, according to the French police. The Interior Ministry said 320,000 people took part nationwide, including 70,000 in Paris. The ministry said the marches themselves had largely proceeded within the framework of authorized demonstrations, but alleged that “radical elements” in Bordeaux, Toulouse and Marseille tried to reach city centres intending to commit vandalism and looting.

Fires were reported in Marseille, while clashes with police were also reported in Rennes and Toulouse. The day began largely peacefully, but French media reports and live footage cited by DW said police later used tear gas in Paris and Lyon. In the capital, tensions rose as the march reached its conclusion on the city’s southern outskirts.

BFMTV footage showed fireworks and incendiary devices being thrown toward riot police, with several officers caught in the flames. Paris authorities said officers carried out more than 1,200 checks at railway stations and nearby areas before the demonstrations. The checks were intended to prevent people from bringing fireworks, knives and other prohibited items to the marches.

Authorities also authorized camera-equipped drones to transmit live images across the capital and said all available aerial resources had been deployed for security monitoring. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had warned that the protests presented a “very high risk”, citing calls for looting and rioting. About 70,000 police officers and other security personnel were deployed across France.

Officials also expressed concern that Halloween celebrations could help people conceal their identities while committing offences. Protest routes in Paris and other cities were moved away from central areas amid fears of attacks on public buildings and looting. Businesses boarded up windows or took other precautions, while curfews and other restrictions were introduced in several cities, including measures applying to particular areas and minors.

The demonstrations have been building for weeks. Young people initially protested what they described as inadequate staffing and equipment in schools; since mid-October, trade unions, school and student organizations, and the grassroots Yellow Vest movement have joined, with the cost of living becoming a central concern. DW reported that a similarly large security operation the previous weekend had largely prevented a recurrence of the destruction seen during protests on October 17.

The supplied reports differ in their geographical focus and scale. DW describes nationwide French protests involving hundreds of thousands of people, while Al Jazeera reported that thousands demonstrated in Germany across 34 cities and that some confrontations there became violent. Al Jazeera characterized the German protests as led by Generation Z and identified education and military service as issues in its report, but provided no further details on arrests, injuries or the number of clashes.