Third weekend of protests in France as youth rallies sweep Europe over costs and education
Turnout and security measures
The French government put Saturday’s nationwide turnout at 320,000, below its estimates of 410,000 on Oct. 24 and more than 500,000 on Oct. 17. Organizers’ figures were much higher, according to the report.
About 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed. In Paris, authorities moved the main march to the city’s outskirts, and police restricted access to Place de la Republique and Les Halles overnight. Unaccompanied minors faced a separate 9 p.m. curfew near the Champs-Elysees.
Students lead Paris march
Thousands gathered at Porte de Bagnolet, on Paris’s eastern edge, with students at the front. Security agents from the CGT labor union watched over the gathering as police assembled on nearby side streets.
The march included high school students, climate activists and people concerned about the cost of living. Some wore Halloween costumes, while participants chanted and sang. Student Corentin Cabreux described damp walls, cockroaches and rats in his state-run residence, and said he hoped the march would be festive.
Protests spread beyond France
The demonstrations began last month with students’ complaints about neglected school buildings, teacher shortages and university admissions they considered unfair to disadvantaged applicants. Labor unions and others critical of President Emmanuel Macron later joined with additional demands.
In Germany, the youth initiative Gen Z regelt called for action on education, health, climate protection and affordability, and opposed restoring military conscription. Organizers said more than 180,000 people had registered online, while several thousand were marching in cities by Saturday afternoon. Young protesters also gathered at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate to call for increased investment in education and housing.
Violence remains a concern
Most protesters have been peaceful, but groups have attacked police with fireworks and projectiles, and some gatherings have escalated into rioting and looting. Police responses have included tear gas, dispersion grenades and water cannons, causing severe injuries.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned of a high risk of disorder, particularly after dark on Halloween. Police had arrested thousands after unrest marred the largely peaceful marches of the previous two weekends.
Key points
- France’s government estimated 320,000 people joined Saturday’s demonstrations nationwide.
- About 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed across France.
- Student concerns helped launch the protests before unions and other groups joined.
- Youth-led rallies were reported in Germany and Italy.