Thousands of people took to the streets across France on Saturday for a new wave of demonstrations against the rising cost of living. While the turnout was lower than in previous weeks, clashes broke out between police and some protesters in Paris. The demonstrations mark the fourth consecutive weekend of protests as the country prepares for presidential elections in five months, where the far-right is seen as having its best chance yet to win power.
The interior ministry reported that 146,000 people participated in demonstrations across France on Saturday, including 46,000 in Paris. Unions provided higher figures, claiming 250,000 protesters nationwide, with 75,000 in the capital. These numbers were lower than the previous three weekends of protests, but followed a mass union protest on Thursday which authorities estimated at 575,000 people, while unions claimed 1.6 million.
In Paris, the clashes occurred at the end of a march along a traditional route from the Place de la Republique to the Place de la Nation. Police used tear gas against individuals who threw projectiles and home-made fireworks at security forces. Police stated that a group of 200 violent individuals attacked officers while they were arresting a man who had set fire to a trash bin in the square.
The Yellow Vests movement called for a rival demonstration at the Place de la Concorde, near the Elysee Palace and the lower house of parliament. Authorities banned this action, and a large police presence prevented protesters from getting close. Police surrounded some 100 people who arrived, and Benjamin Ball, a coordinator for the movement, and its spokeswoman, Azelma Sigaux, were among those arrested.
In the southeastern city of Lyon, police fired tear gas to disperse several hundred people in the city centre who were blocking a road during an unauthorised gathering.
The current wave of demonstrations was sparked in late September by high school students protesting conditions at their establishments. These teens, joined by university students, remain central to the movement. Sabine Kharbach, spokeswoman of the Student Union, stated, “Today is a date that helps keep the pressure on,” and added that many young people are mobilising because the government’s responses remain unsatisfactory.
