France protests draw 410,000 as anger over school conditions, living costs deepens
ABOUT 410,000 people took to the streets across France on Saturday to protest deteriorating school conditions and the rising cost of living, as a heavy security deployment sought to prevent a repeat of the violence that marred demonstrations the prev...
Nearly one million people took to the streets in France on Saturday for protests over deteriorating school conditions and the rising cost of living. Security forces estimated around 410,000 protesters in total, with Paris alone seeing approximately 110,000 demonstrators. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported nearly 1,000 arrests and described the level of violence as extremely high, with more than 70,000 police and gendarmes deployed across the country.
The demonstrations, which began in mid-September over school issues, have since evolved into broader protests against living costs, inequality, and President Emmanuel Macron's leadership. Despite initial promises from Macron to address the concerns, student representatives said they would continue protesting until the government announced concrete measures.
Clashes erupted during the protests in Marseille and Lyon, with police using tear gas to disperse demonstrators. The demonstrations saw heavy security measures, including the cancellation of a planned route through central Paris and the closure of 24 Metro stations. Major cultural institutions, such as the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay, also shut their doors.
The unrest comes six months before France's next presidential election, with Macron aiming to avoid a third consecutive term.
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