Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across France on Saturday to protest the rising cost of living and demand more funding for public services, including schools. The demonstrations, which also aimed to defend civil liberties and support high school students, saw workers, students, and retirees marching side by side.
Turnout figures varied, with the government reporting 410,000 participants nationwide, while the CGT trade union estimated the number was nearly twice as high at 800,000. Most of the marches remained peaceful, though many participants indicated that their anger shows no sign of fading.
To prevent a repeat of the riots and looting from the previous weekend, authorities mobilized 70,000 law enforcement officers, including elite security forces. While many events passed off well, clashes broke out on the sidelines in major cities such as Nantes, Rennes, Marseille, and Paris. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that members of ultra-left groups threw fireworks and projectiles at police. These skirmishes resulted in at least 1,300 arrests, with the interior ministry reporting that three protesters and at least 50 officers were injured.
This marked the second consecutive weekend of unrest in France. The instability comes as the country prepares for presidential elections in April and May to select a successor to President Emmanuel Macron.