Rising Living Costs: French Police Clash With Protesters In Paris, Deploy Teargas | Sahara Reporters
Students have demanded more teachers, improved school facilities, additional university places and increased student grants, while workers have called for better wages and pensions.
The police clashed with protesters in Paris, France, on Saturday as demonstrations over school funding and rising living costs turned violent, with officers deploying teargas and water cannons to disperse crowds.
The protests, which drew tens of thousands of students and workers into the streets, challenged President Emmanuel Macron’s government over demands for improved education funding, better wages, pensions and relief from rising living costs.
The French Interior Ministry estimated that about 110,000 people participated in the Paris march, which began peacefully before clashes erupted near its endpoint in the southeastern part of the capital.
Demonstrators threw projectiles as police moved to disperse the crowd, while officers used tear gas and water cannons amid escalating tensions.
The demonstration was part of a broader wave of protests across France, with the Interior Ministry estimating that approximately 410,000 people took part nationwide. Organisers put the total turnout significantly higher, at nearly 800,000.
The movement began with complaints about staff shortages at a high school near Paris but has since expanded to include wider grievances over public education, living standards and economic pressures.
Students have demanded more teachers, improved school facilities, additional university places and increased student grants, while workers have called for better wages and pensions.
The unrest has presented a fresh challenge to Macron’s government, which has faced mounting pressure over living costs and public services ahead of next year’s presidential succession.
French authorities deployed up to 70,000 police officers and other security personnel nationwide to prevent a repeat of the previous weekend’s violence, when groups of protesters clashed with officers and shops were looted in several cities.
The Paris march was restricted to a route away from the city centre following concerns about public disorder and damage to businesses. Several shops and cultural institutions took precautionary measures ahead of the demonstrations.
The Paris prosecutor’s office reported 64 arrests connected with Saturday’s demonstration, with 40 people placed in police custody. Authorities said several arrests involved suspected weapons offences or participation in groups allegedly preparing violence or property damage.
The latest clashes have renewed scrutiny of police tactics during demonstrations. Earlier footage from protests in Paris showed riot police charging protesters and striking some with batons, while separate reports have documented injuries among young demonstrators during the wider unrest.
The authorities have defended their extensive security deployment as necessary to prevent violence and protect public property, while critics have raised concerns about restrictions on demonstrations and the use of force against protesters.
The protests underscore the growing tensions surrounding education funding, economic hardship and public order in France, as demonstrators continue to press the government for concrete measures to address their demands.