Over 100,000 march in France as cost of living protests continue
Despite a drop in attendance compared to the previous week, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators joined new rallies across France, while unions prepare for further strikes on the anniversary of the Yellow Vest movement.
By Tomas Rahman ·
More than 100,000 people took to the streets across France on Saturday to participate in a new round of demonstrations focused on the cost of living. The rallies were organized by the Yellow Vests and various youth movements. While authorities noted that the protests remained largely calm, they observed a decline in turnout compared to previous weekends.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that 106,000 individuals participated in protests nationwide. Of this total, 24,000 were present in Paris. This figure represents a significant decrease from the previous week, when authorities counted 146,000 participants nationally and 46,000 in the capital. However, student unions offered a different perspective, placing the total number of protesters at 200,000, including nearly 100,000 in Paris.
These events mark another week in a month-long period of unrest that has gripped the country. High school blockades, mass demonstrations, and strikes have been ongoing as protesters voice their dissatisfaction with falling educational standards, rising living costs, low wages, and police violence. President Emmanuel Macron has faced significant criticism during this period, and many demonstrators carried signs specifically targeting him.
In recent weeks, some rallies have seen violence at the fringes. The first major protest on October 17 was marked by looting in cities across France. In response to these incidents, the government has expanded police presence at rallies and tightened controls on transport and protest permits.
In Marseille, France's second-largest city, local authorities banned protests over the weekend. Despite this, the prefecture announced that approximately 3,500 people still took to the streets. Local media reported that police used tear gas and water cannons against the crowd, sharing images of fires burning in a popular local square.
Similar scenes were reported in Lyon, where local media estimated that roughly 8,000 people participated in the demonstrations. Reports indicated that masked protesters chanted in front of fires lit in the street while police charged and used tear gas. Tear gas was also reported in Nantes, Bordeaux, and Paris.
Unions have called for a new day of strikes on Tuesday following their rejection of a government promise to increase the minimum wage by 0.6 percent. Union leaders dismissed the proposed increase as crumbs, signaling their intent to continue pressing for more substantial changes.
If the demonstrations proceed, they will coincide with the eighth anniversary of the Gilet Jaune movement, known in English as the Yellow Vests. This movement initially rocked the early years of the Macron government in 2018 with two years of protests that were triggered by rising fuel prices.
The Yellow Vests plan to mark the anniversary by celebrating their eight years of activism at the locations where it all began. According to the protest tracking website 17octobregiletjaune.net, the group intends to gather on roundabouts and toll booths all over France.
