Police fire tear gas as new French demonstrations kick off

In the southeastern French city of Lyon, police deployed tear gas to disperse approximately 150 protesters who briefly attempted to obstruct a road. The incident occurred during a nationwide day of demonstrations over high living costs. In Lyon, protesters disrupted road access near the city center, despite demonstrations being previously banned.

Authorities in Paris heightened security measures, with retailers boarding up storefronts and museums closing down in anticipation of potential unrest. The Louvre and Musee d'Orsay were among the closed establishments. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez declared that rioting would not be tolerated, emphasizing that calls for violence and looting had surfaced on social media.

Meanwhile, far-right leader Marine Le Pen's National Rally party held a congress in Orleans, igniting protests against Le Pen and President Emmanuel Macron. The violence from last weekend's demonstrations led to 2,700 arrests and significant financial losses for retailers. Macron attributed the worst of the unrest to "ultra-left" groups seeking to topple the republic.

Demonstrations took place in other European countries such as Italy, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal, with shared concerns over inflation and education issues. Italy deployed 500 troops to control unrest in Milan. In Paris, shop windows remained boarded up, and a union-organized march was rerouted away from central areas. Despite restrictions on protests, demonstrators persisted, with Amnesty International criticizing France's approach as a step towards authoritarianism.