What began last month as student demonstrations demanding better school funding escalated on Saturday into massive nationwide protests over the cost of living, before peaceful daytime rallies descended into violent clashes with police. Government officials estimated that at least 400,000 people took to the streets across France, while trade unions claimed the total turnout was twice that number.
In Paris and other major cities, crowds brought together students, workers, retirees, and members of the "yellow vest" movement. Protesters carried placards urging the government to tax the rich and calling for the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron, accusing his economic policies of widening inequality while public services deteriorate. For much of the afternoon, the marches maintained a peaceful, family atmosphere complete with chanted slogans and brass bands.
The mood deteriorated sharply as night fell, particularly at Porte de Vincennes on the eastern edge of Paris and in cities including Lyon and Marseille. Groups of masked demonstrators threw stones, bottles, and fireworks at law enforcement lines. In response, police fired tear gas, deployed water cannons, and launched baton charges into the crowds. The French government had placed more than 70,000 police officers on duty nationwide to prevent unrest, leaving shops boarded up and several transit stations closed.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that police arrested nearly 1,000 people across the country, noting that the figure was expected to rise as additional reports arrived. Nuñez also reported that two people were seriously injured in the unrest, including a 20-year-old man who lost several fingers. With local curfews for minors remaining in effect across multiple cities, the day of action underscored deepening public anger and division over France's economic future.