Demonstrationen: Mindestens 1.000 Festnahmen nach Protesten in Frankreich

Following a largely peaceful protest day in France, the event in some cities was partly marred by violence. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported nearly 1,000 arrests nationwide, with the number expected to rise as the situation is finalized. "Numerous looting incidents have been prevented," he stated, noting that there were also property damage and thefts, but not on the same scale as the previous week.

Security forces were on high alert following the severe unrest on the outskirts of demonstrations on October 17th. About 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were expected to be deployed over the weekend, with water cannons and armored vehicles ready. Shop owners had placed tape in front of shop windows in Paris to protect them from damage.

In several cities, assembly bans were in place for specific zones, and curfews were enforced. According to the Interior Ministry, around 410,000 people participated in nationwide protests, with roughly 110,000 in Paris. However, the CGT trade union union reported about 800,000 participants. Young demonstrators advocating for better school provisions joined the protests, opposing high living costs.

In Paris, the demonstration initially moved away from the city center. People of all ages attended. The situation worsened at the end of the demonstration, with images showing clouds of tear gas, fireworks, and the use of water cannons. Television footage captured bangs, a burning trash can. The Paris Prefecture announced on platform X that rioters had attempted to break into a car dealership at the end of the demonstration in Paris.

The rapid intervention of law enforcement prevented this. Wounded in violent clashes Images from other cities such as Lyon, Bordeaux, and Marseille also showed tear gas clouds and fireworks. The Interior Ministry reported disturbances to public order in several cities. In Nantes in northwest France, six people were arrested for damage and looting at a business, the prefecture reported, with police taking six individuals into custody.

The Interior Minister reported two individuals seriously injured in clashes in Clermont-Ferrand and Toulouse during police interventions. New protests for next week announced While the Yellow Vest movement already announced new demonstrations for the coming week. On Saturday (October 31st), there was to be a "3rd Act," the organizers of the previous events said on their website.

They called for gatherings and sit-ins in front of the National Assembly and all city halls across France. A protest event with kitchen utensils like pots and pans was also scheduled for Friday, creating noise - a so-called "Casserolade."