More than 270 people were arrested across France on Saturday as protests over rising living costs turned violent. Cars were set ablaze, shops looted, and police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds. Videos from Paris showed protesters climbing a statue to unfurl an anti-police banner, burnt-out vehicles near a major protest square and officers charging demonstrators with batons as the “yellow vest” movement returned to the streets.France’s interior ministry reported “a growing number of violent incidents” across the country, including assaults on police officers, looting and damage to public buildings. Several people were injured in clashes.
Protesters scale statue as cars burn in Paris
A video from Place de la République showed protesters climbing the enormous statue at the centre of the square and unfurling a banner accusing police of injuring high school students. The square is one of France’s most famous protest sites and has hosted demonstrations for generations.Another video showed cars completely burnt out on a side street near Place de la République. According to reports by The Associated Press, thick black smoke rose from torched cars, bicycles and other vehicles, while rubbish bins and a kiosk were on fire. Several shops were also looted.Footage from the Opéra district showed police charging a procession of several hundred people with batons and tear gas to break it up. At Place de la République, officers used tear gas and water cannons against masked and hooded protesters throwing fireworks, paving stones and other objects.A separate video from Place de la République purportedly showed a man attacking firefighters twice before a crowd assaulted him.Police also tried to prevent smaller groups from converging on government buildings. Several metro stations were closed at police request, including those near the Champs-Elysées, the presidential palace, parliament and government offices.However, according to the reports by AP, despite the clashes, most demonstrators remained peaceful. A march towards north-western Paris saw crowds chanting France’s national anthem and waving flags, while some protesters played trumpets and violins.
Fires and damage reported in Lyon, Marseille
The unrest spread beyond the capital, with fires and damage reported in several major cities.In Lyon, France’s third-largest city, a fire broke out inside a tourist office as around 20,000 people joined the march. Smoke and flames were seen rising from the building.In the southern port city of Marseille, shops and a municipal police station were damaged. Protesters also briefly forced their way into the lobby of City Hall.“This is unacceptable,” Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan told BFM TV, describing the damage inside City Hall as “limited.”The Interior Ministry also reported violence involving masked groups in Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier and Grenoble, among other cities.
Yellow vests return amid anger over rising prices
The demonstrations followed calls on social media to revive France’s “yellow vest” movement, which emerged in 2018 against social injustice. Many protesters wore the fluorescent yellow vests that became a symbol of those rallies.Demonstrators expressed anger over rising living costs, with gasoline, energy and food prices having spiked in recent months. They also criticised the government over what they described as the neglect of public services and policies favouring the wealthy.Sonia Mabrouk, 40, travelled from a suburb west of Paris with her high school student daughter to protest against “everything that’s going wrong”.Mabrouk, who took part in the original yellow vest protests, criticised “policies that favor the rich and always hit the poorest people in their wallets.”“There’s a general sense of frustration and anger,” she said as she marched alongside peaceful demonstrators of different ages.
Unions back protests as student unrest continues
The latest demonstrations follow weeks of school blockades organised by student groups since mid-September. The groups urged supporters to join the nationwide protests.The CGT, one of France’s major labour unions, also backed the rallies, calling for “higher wages and pensions, lower prices and the protection of public services that meet people’s needs.” The union said more than 500,000 people took part in demonstrations across France on Saturday.Far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who has backed the student movement, also joined the Paris protest.The unrest comes after weeks of student-led demonstrations that have resulted in thousands of arrests, hundreds of injuries and schools being set on fire. The protests have also become an issue in France’s presidential election campaign and attracted international attention.Some teenagers have suffered serious injuries from police riot-control weapons, according to protesters. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez suspended the use of a type of police stun grenade against young demonstrators after a 15-year-old lost a hand.
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