France Cost-of-Living Protests: 980 Detained After Night Clashes

France’s interior ministry reported that 980 people were arrested on Saturday as nationwide protests against the cost of living turned violent in the evening.

The unrest followed a new wave of demonstrations that saw hundreds of thousands of citizens take to the streets. While daytime marches remained largely peaceful, clashes erupted in multiple cities after dark. Police utilized tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds in Paris, Marseille, and other locations. In Marseille, protesters set fire to barricades, while individuals in Bordeaux were observed tearing boards off a shop. Authorities noted that the disorder was less severe than the riots of the previous weekend, which involved widespread looting and arson.

The interior ministry estimated the turnout at 410,000, a figure the unions disputed, claiming the number was closer to 800,000. To manage the crowds, the state deployed approximately 70,000 police officers and imposed restrictions in several cities. This heavy security presence aimed to prevent a repeat of the chaos seen a week earlier. During that previous incident, officers were outnumbered, leading to the looting of hundreds of businesses and the torching of buildings.

President Emmanuel Macron had issued a decree earlier in the week stating that only demonstrations organized by recognized trade unions would be permitted. In the aftermath of the previous weekend’s unrest, hundreds of individuals faced jail time for vandalism, arson, and looting following fast-track court hearings. The current protests focus on two main grievances: the rising cost of living and poor conditions in schools.

In Paris, tensions escalated at the conclusion of a march that moved from Porte d'Italie to Porte de Vincennes. Police units, including an elite force typically assigned to organized crime and counter-terrorism, were present. Protesters constructed makeshift barricades and threw projectiles at officers. Police responded with baton charges against groups of masked youths who were smashing windows at a car dealership. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that several thousand radical activists gathered at the rear of the march, including around 500 identified rioters.

Violence also occurred in other major cities. In Marseille, metal sheets were used to block streets, and rubbish bins were set alight. In Lyon, police fired tear gas into a crowd that had gathered in an area the local prefecture had declared off-limits. One protester in Lyon, who said the group consisted of about 150 secondary school and university students, described the scene as one where visibility was nearly impossible.

Late on Saturday, Minister Nuñez announced the arrest count of 980, noting that the number would continue to rise. He reported two serious injuries, one in Toulouse and the other in Clermont-Ferrand. Demonstrators expressed deep frustration with the government. A 26-year-old Parisian named Zelie told the BBC that people were suffering greatly and that the situation had become too much. Two masked teenagers said their generation felt abandoned by leaders. One of the teenagers admitted that looting was not ideal but blamed poverty and police violence, stating the protests would end when demands were met.

In Orléans, approximately 13,000 people rallied peacefully against the hard-right National Rally party. The unrest also extended beyond France’s borders. Riot police fired tear gas at anti-government demonstrators in Tirana, Albania, while clashes were reported in Brussels. In Milan, hundreds of soldiers and police prevented protesters from gathering due to fears of a repeat of the previous week’s violence.

The previous weekend saw about 550,000 people demonstrate against rising fuel prices and the cost of living. That event resulted in more than 2,500 arrests and damage to over 2,000 shops and businesses. The Chambers of Commerce and Industry estimated the damage in the hundreds of millions of euros. About 1,000 police officers were injured, and one demonstrator lost a hand to a crowd-control grenade. With presidential elections six months away, leading contenders have placed blame on President Macron and his ministers.

The interior ministry’s final figures for Saturday stand at 980 detained, with two people seriously injured across the country.