From early afternoon, groups built barricades from burning rental bicycles in the streets around the square and looted some shops, while police responded with tear gas Clashes between police and groups of protesters returned to central Paris on Sunday around the Place de la République, a day after a nationwide day of protests against the cost of living and conditions in schools ended with the looting of hundreds of shops and at least 1,800 arrests across the country, according to police.
From early afternoon, groups built barricades from burning rental bicycles in the streets around the square and looted some shops, while police responded with tear gas. There were similar scenes in Lyon. President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting and is due to address the nation.
On Saturday, some 550,000 people took part in 110 marches across the country, according to the Interior Ministry; organisers put the figure at 800,000. The day was called by trade unions, student organisations and former members of the “yellow vest” movement. There were 855 arrests in the Paris region, and looting was reported in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez defended the right to protest but said that “deliberately and collectively sowing disorder through violence” is not.
The protests began in mid-September at a high school in Créteil, on the outskirts of Paris, where pupils protested over dilapidated buildings, overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages, and spread across the country. Human rights organisations have denounced a disproportionate use of force against minors, who make up most of those arrested since then.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen blamed the violence on left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who took part in the Paris march. Her party’s president, Jordan Bardella, said that “order no longer exists in this country”.