Police and protesters clash in some of France's worst unrest in years

Violent clashes erupted between French police and protesters on Saturday as large crowds demonstrated against rising costs and declining public services in what officials described as some of the country's most destructive unrest in years. At least 272 individuals were arrested following confrontations involving masked individuals, including in the capital Paris, Marseille in the south, Toulouse in the southwest, Angers in the west and Lyon in east-central France.

Belgian, Portuguese and Italian citizens also took to the streets on Saturday amid surging living costs across Europe. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu vowed the government would not be intimidated by violence and accused the unrest on the cusp of presidential elections next year on the far-left and criminals. The powerful CGT union reported around 800,000 people participated in Saturday's protests, estimating much of the violence was caused by those intent on causing damage and clashing with police.

While most demonstrators marched peacefully, in Paris, police occasionally deployed tear gas as they retreated from the majority of young protesters, many of whom were dressed in black and masked to shield against tear gas. By the end of the day, protesters reached key landmarks in central Paris, including Champs-Elysees, Concorde and La Madeleine, which were excluded from the authorized demonstration.

Later, protesters set fire to objects, including a car. Shops and restaurants in the capital suffered smashed windows, and cars and trash cans were set ablaze. In Lyon, the tourist office was torched, and in Marseille, the town hall was vandalized. Belgian student groups marched against rising education costs, and in Albania, police fired rubber bullets during ongoing student demonstrations.