France: Protests continue while police fire tear gas at demonstrators

Nationwide demonstrations took place across France on Saturday to protest soaring living costs, purchasing power, and the defense of public services. Participation estimates varied, with the Interior Ministry reporting 410,000 people total, including 110,000 in Paris, while the organizing union claimed 800,000 participants nationwide, including 250,000 in the capital.

In Toulouse, local authorities reported 26,500 people joined the protests. The rallies occurred under the watch of 70,000 police officers, a deployment that included 10,000 more officers than during protests on October 17.

Clashes and confrontations were reported in several cities. Business Recorder reported that police used tear gas in Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lille, and Nice, adding that a water cannon was deployed in Nice. In Lyon, The Korea Times reported that police used tear gas during a rally that had been banned, while Business Recorder noted clashes between hooded youths and police in both Lyon and Marseille.

In Clermont-Ferrand, officers also used stun grenades to push back demonstrators according to French media reported by The Korea Times. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that 135 people were arrested nationwide by early afternoon following pre-emptive searches for weapons.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, The Korea Times, Business Recorder — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.