France Faces Nationwide Unrest as Cost-of-Living Protests Spark Police Clashes

Thousands take to the streets in Paris and other cities to protest the rising cost of living.

Clashes between protesters and police erupted across France on Saturday as nationwide rallies unfolded in major cities.

In the capital, Paris, scuffles broke out between demonstrators and law enforcement. Police deployed tear gas to disperse individuals wearing hoods and masks.

Substantial numbers of riot police were positioned at Place de la Republique, located northeast of the city center, and along adjacent streets. Authorities reportedly detained dozens of people.

Local media in Marseille reported that demonstrators entered the town hall and looted businesses in the commercial district. In Lyon, reports indicated that the local tourism office was set on fire.

By midday, France’s Interior Ministry had logged 140 protest actions nationwide involving 32,800 participants. The ministry stated that 166 people had been arrested so far.

The Saturday demonstrations, driven by surging prices for essentials such as fuel and food, follow weeks of rallies by French high school students protesting deteriorating conditions in their schools.

Some students who participated in those earlier demonstrations reported serious injuries allegedly inflicted by police, including a 15-year-old girl who lost a hand.

Amid the disturbances, many demonstrations remained peaceful on Saturday, with unions, teachers, and ordinary citizens marching in the streets.

Members of the “yellow vest” movement, which staged nationwide protests against the cost of living in 2018, have also indicated they will join the demonstrations.

On Friday, the eve of the protests, President Macron appealed for calm while speaking in Brussels.

“There is a constitutional right to protest and to express oneself,” he said. “However, this right carries the obligation to show respect—for individuals, for property, and therefore a commitment not to insult or destroy.”

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