Clashes break out in Paris, other French cities amid fresh protests

Paris and other major French cities witnessed clashes on Saturday amid protests held a week after previous demonstrations turned violent, prompting a strong security response from President Emmanuel Macron. Police arrested nearly 1,000 individuals as they encountered a high level of violence from black-clad ultra-left extremists, according to interior minister Laurent Nunez.

Riot police used tear gas in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Lille, Toulouse, Montpellier, and Nantes to disperse protesters. Two people were seriously injured, including a man in Toulouse with fingers blown off and another in Clermont-Ferrand.

Authorities deployed 70,000 security forces nationwide for the new marches, called to protest rising living costs. The violence followed a week of rioting, which saw public buildings vandalized, hundreds of shops looted, and 2,700 arrests. Nunez reported that Saturday's situation was more positive than the previous week, with increased police presence, rapid response, checks before demonstrations, and better protection of businesses.

However, there was widespread anger at the government's crackdown on protests as an assault on the right to protest.

Demonstrations in Paris drew between 410,000 and 800,000 people, with the main march having between 110,000 and 250,000 attendees. Macron's government ordered police to prevent protesters from reaching city centers, where shops were concentrated. In Paris, many shops had boarded up windows, and museums like the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay shut for the day.

The main demonstration proceeded peacefully, but clashes erupted as the crowd dispersed, lasting two hours and involving 500 rioters. Police charged and used tear gas and batons against protesters, with one demonstrator suffering a baton blow to the face.