French police detain 855 amid nationwide protests over cost of living and student grievances
Police reported a record 855 arrests on Saturday as demonstrations against rising prices and school-related issues turned violent in several French cities.
French police said they detained 855 people on Saturday, the highest number recorded for a single day of unrest, as protests against rising living costs and high-school students' demands spread across the country. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez's office noted a rise in violent incidents, including assaults on officers, looting and damage to public buildings.
In Paris, authorities used tear gas and water cannons to disperse groups wearing hoods and masks who threw fireworks, paving stones and other objects at police in the Place de la République. The police also closed several metro stations near the Champs-Élysées, the presidential palace and other government sites.
While some demonstrators engaged in vandalism, many participants joined a peaceful march that moved toward northwestern Paris, chanting the national anthem and carrying flags. Similar disturbances were reported in Lyon, Limoges, Marseille and other cities, with reports of fires at a tourist office, a town hall and municipal police facilities.
"This is unacceptable," Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan said, describing damage to City Hall as limited.
"A wild horde" deliberately set fire to the 143-year-old town hall in Limoges, prefect Maurice Barate told TV channel LCI.
Protesters, many wearing the fluorescent yellow vests associated with the 2018 movement, expressed frustration over policies they say favor the wealthy and increase the cost of gasoline, energy and food. Sonia Mabrouk, a participant from a Paris suburb, said the demonstrations were about "everything that's going wrong," especially the neglect of public services.
Labor union CGT backed the rallies, calling for higher wages, lower prices and better public services, and estimated more than 500,000 people took part nationwide. The unrest follows weeks of school blockades, and far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon joined the Paris protest. After a 15-year-old lost a hand, Nuñez announced a suspension of a police stun-grenade type used against teenagers.