France: Who took part in Saturday's protests?

Nationwide demonstrations took place in France on October 17, driven by rising anger over the cost of living and poor conditions in schools. According to France 24, the protests brought together youth activists and supporters of the Yellow Vest movement. MyJoyOnline Ghana reported that an estimated 550,000 people took to the streets, though the French government described the day as an escalation in violence.

Violence occurred across the country, resulting in at least 1,200 arrests and 150 injured police officers, according to MyJoyOnline Ghana. In Paris, while the main march appeared largely peaceful during the afternoon, clashes with riot police occurred later in the evening. Riot police used water cannons and tear gas on crowds, and some groups were seen lighting fires and torching vehicles in locations such as the Place de la République.

Looting, vandalism, and arson were reported in several cities, targeting businesses and city halls. In Limoges, a large fire at the town hall caused the roof to partly collapse. MyJoyOnline Ghana noted that shops were ransacked and at least one restaurant was destroyed by fire.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, MyJoyOnline Ghana — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.