French Police Detain 980 as Evening Clashes Follow Daytime Marches

French authorities detained 980 people on Saturday as nationwide protests over the cost of living turned violent in multiple cities.

The interior ministry estimated that 410,000 people marched, a figure unions disputed by claiming 800,000 attendees. To manage the crowds, the government deployed 70,000 police officers, including an elite unit typically reserved for counter-terrorism operations. This heavy presence followed President Emmanuel Macron’s decree earlier in the week restricting demonstrations to those organized by recognized trade unions. The strategy aimed to prevent the chaos seen in the previous round of protests, which resulted in widespread looting and arson.

Violence primarily erupted in the evening after daytime marches remained largely peaceful. In Paris, clashes began near Porte de Vincennes, where protesters threw projectiles and police charged with batons. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that several thousand radical activists gathered at the rear of the march, including approximately 500 identified rioters. In Marseille, demonstrators set fire to barricades, while in Bordeaux, crowds tore boards from a shop. Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds in these locations and others, including Lyon, where officers fired gas at a crowd in a restricted zone.

The government has moved quickly to process offenders since last weekend. Hundreds of individuals have been jailed for vandalism, arson, and looting following fast-track court hearings. Nuñez reported late on Saturday that two people had been seriously injured, one in Toulouse and another in Clermont-Ferrand. He indicated the arrest count would likely increase as the day ended. Protesters expressed frustration with economic conditions; a 26-year-old woman named Zelie told the BBC that people are suffering a lot and that it has been too much. Two masked teenagers added that their generation feels abandoned by the government, blaming poverty and police violence for the unrest.

This protest wave follows a turbulent weekend where about 550,000 people demonstrated against fuel prices and living costs. That earlier event saw more than 2,500 arrests and damage to over 2,000 businesses, with losses estimated in the hundreds of millions of euros. Approximately 1,000 police officers were injured during those clashes. With presidential elections six months away, political rivals are using the unrest to criticize Macron’s administration. Meanwhile, the movement extended to other European cities, with tear gas used in Tirana, Albania, and clashes reported in Brussels, while soldiers blocked gatherings in Milan to prevent similar violence.