Demonstrationen: Frankreich: Hunderttausende demonstrieren - Gewalt am Abend

After a largely peaceful start to the protest day in France, tensions escalated in the evening. According to the French Ministry of the Interior, around 410,000 people attended nationwide protests, with about 110,000 in Paris alone. In the evening, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported nearly 1,000 arrests nationwide, with the number expected to rise as data is consolidated.

He had previously mobilized a large police force, stating, "We are ready." Police forces comprised 70,000 officers and gendarmes, equipped with water cannons and armored vehicles. In Paris, the worker-organized demonstration, held on the city's outskirts, initially remained peaceful. People of all ages participated, expressing a variety of demands, including better school facilities and lower living costs.

The situation worsened at the end of the demonstration, with images showing tear gas clouds, fireworks, and the use of water cannons, with audible firecracker sounds and a burning trash can. Paris' police prefecture reported that rioters had attempted to breach a car dealership, but swift police action prevented this. Images from other French cities like Lyon, Bordeaux, and Marseille also showed tear gas clouds and fire.

The Ministry of the Interior reported public order disruptions in several cities, including damaged and looted businesses in Nantes, where six people were arrested. Nuñez announced that the day was not over and that security measures would remain in place until late evening. He noted no targeted attacks on public buildings, unlike the 17th of October, but reported two people were severely injured in violent confrontations in Clermont-Ferrand and Toulouse.

The Yellow Vest movement announced new demonstrations for the following week, with a "3rd Act" planned for October 31st, calling for gatherings and sit-ins in front of the National Assembly and all French city halls. A "Casserolle" protest using kitchen utensils to create noise was also scheduled for the following Friday. The Yellow Vest movement against high living costs and social injustice had dominated France since November 2018, originating from demonstrators wearing yellow safety vests.

Various protest groups joined, including young people advocating for better school funding, various professional groups, and representatives of French left-wing groups. While most participants remained peaceful, some used the chaos to commit looting and property damage. Curfews and demonstration bans were imposed in several cities due to fears of unrest and looting, such as in Orléans, where around 13,000 people gathered to protest the Rassemblement National party's weekend rally.

Police mobilized 3,000 officers and first responders, who passed through the city peacefully according to the prefecture. A night curfew was also imposed for children and youth to prevent public order disturbances and limit the risk of confrontations. The tension in France escalated further on Friday after a shooting incident near Paris, where a man opened fire from a car, killing one person and injuring five others.

The shooter was subsequently arrested, and family members and friends were also taken into police custody. President Emmanuel Macron described it as "a racist terrorist attack."