Casablanca – France witnessed another day of demonstrations today, as students, workers, unions, and yellow vests protesters took to the streets for the fourth consecutive Saturday to demand better living conditions and oppose rising living costs.
However, turnout dropped compared with previous demonstrations, according to the Interior Ministry. Authorities counted around 7,000 participants across 68 public actions nationwide. The ministry’s representatives also reported 18 arrests, compared with 27 at the same time the previous Saturday, and more than 15,600 preventive identity checks.
In Paris, around 46,000 people joined the demonstration, according to the Paris police prefecture. The march brought together mostly young people, including high school and university students, as well as workers and trade union representatives. Participants marched from Place de la République toward Place de la Nation.
The Paris turnout marked a decline from Thursday, when authorities counted 65,000 demonstrators in the capital. Nationwide, Thursday’s mobilization attracted 575,000 people across 193 public actions, according to the Interior Ministry. The General Confederation of Labour (CGT), however, estimated that 1.6 million people took part in Thursday’s demonstrations.
Today’s march in Paris began peacefully, but tensions later escalated near Place de la Nation, where police fired tear gas and grenades after a group of around 200 people allegedly attacked officers and threw projectiles and homemade fireworks.
The Interior Ministry confirmed that several police officers and gendarmes sustained injuries, although it did not provide an exact number. Authorities also reported 232 arrests nationwide. No injuries among demonstrators had been confirmed in official reports at the time of publication.
Read also: France Education Unions Call New Strike for November 10
The government had announced an extensive security operation ahead of today’s demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the deployment of 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, supported by 110 mobile security units, armored vehicles, water cannons, helicopters, and drones.
Authorities also introduced restrictions on demonstrations in several city centers. In Rennes, the prefecture banned gatherings in the city center following violence during Thursday’s protests. Other cities also faced restrictions on unauthorized demonstrations.
The latest mobilization comes ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, trade unions, and employers’ organizations scheduled for Monday. The meeting will address wages and purchasing power.
Student and education organizations have also called for another national strike on Tuesday, November 10, demanding increased funding for education.
The demonstrations began in late September with high school students protesting conditions in their schools before expanding into a broader movement involving students, workers, and trade unions.
