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A number of clashes have been reported between protesters and police in several French cities on Saturday as hundreds of thousands of people again took to the streets nationwide to protest the rising cost of living and conditions in schools.
‘Radical elements’ attempted to enter some city centers
The French Interior Ministry said 320,000 people had participated in demonstrations across the country, including 70,000 in Paris.
“The marches proceeded smoothly within the framework of the declared demonstrations,” the ministry said, while noting that “radical elements” in several cities, including Bordeaux, Toulouse and Marseille, had attempted to enter city centres “with the aim of carrying out vandalism and looting.”
In Marseille, footage showed fires burning in the streets as firefighters responded. Clashes with police were also reported in Rennes and Toulouse.
After a largely peaceful start to the day, police fired tear gas in Paris and Lyon in the late afternoon, according to French media reports and live broadcast footage. Tensions in the capital escalated as demonstrators reached the end of their march on the city’s southern outskirts.
Footage aired by BFMTV showed fireworks exploding and incendiary devices being thrown at officers in riot gear, with several officers caught in the flames.
Police arrest more than 290 people across France
Paris police carried out more than 1,200 checks at railway stations and nearby areas early on Saturday to identify potential troublemakers, the city’s police prefecture said.
The checks aimed to prevent demonstrators from bringing fireworks, knives and other prohibited items to the marches.
Police also deployed “all available resources” in the air to monitor security throughout the day, the prefecture said. An official order authorized camera-equipped drones to capture and transmit live images of the situation across the capital.
More than 290 arrests were made on Saturday across France, according to police.
Preparations ahead of the protests
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned earlier Saturday that the demonstrations posed a “very high risk,” citing calls for looting and rioting.
Around 70,000 police officers and other security personnel were deployedacross the country to maintain order during the protests.
Authorities also feared that Halloween celebrations could give people an opportunity to conceal their identities while committing offenses.
Amid concerns over attacks on public buildings and looting, officials ordered protest routes in Paris and other cities to be moved away from city centers.
Many shops and businesses responded by boarding up their windows and taking other precautions. Curfews and other restrictions were also imposed in several cities, including measures targeting specific areas and minors.
Third consecutive weekend of mass action
A similarly large security deployment last weekend largely prevented a repeat of the violence and destruction seen during the October 17 protests.
Young people have been taking to the streets for weeks to protest inadequate staffing and equipment in schools. Since mid-October, other groups have joined the demonstrations, mainly over the rising cost of living.
Trade unions, school and student organizations, and the grassroots Yellow Vest movement, which first rose to prominence in France in 2018, called for Saturday’s protests.
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