Madar (International) - French police fired tear gas at protesters in Paris and Lyon on Saturday, October 31, 2026, as hundreds of thousands of mostly young people marched across France over the cost of living and the state of the country's schools, Al Jazeera English reported, citing AFP.
It was the third consecutive weekend of such demonstrations. Authorities put nationwide turnout at 320,000, including 70,000 in the capital, while a coalition of youth organisations and high school and university student unions said nearly half a million people took part, including 200,000 in Paris.
Marches in the capital began peacefully but turned violent near the point where the main march was due to end, with bins and street furniture set alight. Dozens of masked people pried up paving stones and hurled them at police on the outskirts of Paris, AFP reported, and at least one incendiary device was thrown at security forces, who responded with tear gas and baton charges.
France's Interior Ministry said at least 290 people had so far been arrested nationwide. About 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed, and Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had warned of a "very high risk" of disorder, especially after dark. The main Paris march was moved to the city's eastern edge after a last-minute court battle, and unaccompanied minors faced a 9pm (20:00 GMT) curfew around the Champs-Elysees.
The government says it has heard the protesters. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu held several meetings with student unions this week and is looking at measures to ease the cost of living.
The movement began last month with high school students protesting against neglected buildings, teacher shortages and a university admissions system seen as unfair to disadvantaged students, before labour unions joined. On October 17, more than 500,000 people took part, according to government estimates. Protests have also spread elsewhere in Europe: police used water cannon in Cologne, Germany, while Spain and Italy raised their alert levels.
