Thousands march in France over schools and living costs as police use tear gas

Hundreds of thousands of students and workers took to the streets in Paris and other French cities on Saturday, protesting school funding and the high cost of living, putting President Emmanuel Macron under pressure to address concerns over living standards and prevent further unrest that had escalated into rioting and looting during protests the previous weekend.

Police resorted to tear gas in Lyon, where the gathering had been prohibited, on Saturday morning, while in Clermont-Ferrand, officers deployed tear gas and stun grenades to disperse demonstrators attempting to reach the city center, according to French media. In Toulouse, the southwestern city, 26,500 people participated in the demonstrations, reported local authorities.

The protests are threatening Macron's authority in the final months of his presidency, as voters will choose his successor in May, with the far-right National Rally accusing his government of failing to protect the public and urging citizens to channel their frustration into votes. Authorities had restricted the Paris march to the city's southeastern periphery, away from the downtown area. An Associated Press journalist witnessed tens of thousands of protesters during the demonstrations.