France protests: Nearly 1,000 arrested as clashes follow mass marches

Police made nearly 1,000 arrests across France on Saturday, October 24, as clashes followed a new round of mass protests over school conditions and the rising cost of living. In Paris, a march that had been largely peaceful ended with confrontations near Porte de Vincennes on the eastern edge of the capital.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the nationwide arrest count could rise as authorities completed their tally. The Interior Ministry counted 410,000 people at 289 demonstrations, including 110,000 in Paris. The CGT union, which helped organize some of the marches, estimated nearly 800,000 protesters nationwide and 250,000 in the capital.

What happened at the Paris protest

Authorities had directed the Paris march along a route on the edge of the city rather than through its center. As the demonstration reached its endpoint near Porte de Vincennes, masked protesters threw objects and fireworks toward officers. Police used tear gas and water cannons, and officers moved to disperse the crowd.

The clashes came after hours in which the main march had proceeded peacefully. The Paris police prefecture said Sunday that 142 people had been arrested in the capital during Saturday’s demonstrations, including 126 who were placed in police custody. That Paris figure is part of the wider nationwide arrest count, not an additional total.

Security had been increased after rioting and looting during protests the previous weekend. About 70,000 officers were mobilized across France for Saturday’s demonstrations. In Paris, several major museums, including the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, closed for the day.

Clashes reported beyond the capital

Confrontations were also reported in cities including Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse. Police used tear gas in several cities. In Marseille and Lyon, fires burned in the streets as some protests ended.

Nuñez said most marches had gone well but accused groups on the far left of seeking confrontations as crowds dispersed. The violence at the end of some demonstrations did not represent every march: hundreds of thousands of people took part in protests across the country.

Officials reported two serious injuries, one in Toulouse and another in Clermont-Ferrand. Details about the circumstances of those injuries remained limited.

Why people are protesting in France

The movement began in September with student protests over staffing and funding at schools. It has grown to include workers and others demanding relief from rising costs, particularly fuel and other everyday expenses. Student groups are also calling for more teachers, repairs to schools and changes to higher-education admissions.

The October 24 turnout was lower than the 550,000 people the Interior Ministry counted at demonstrations the previous weekend, but the latest marches showed that the movement remains large. President Emmanuel Macron met high school representatives on Friday, October 23. Student representatives said they wanted concrete measures and called for protests to continue.

Saturday’s demonstrations again put the government’s response under scrutiny: authorities sought to prevent another weekend of widespread damage, while some organizers criticized restrictions on where marches could take place. The Yellow Vests movement has called for another round of protests on October 31.