By Zoila Palma: Violent clashes erupted between police and protesters across France today as hundreds of thousands of people reportedly took to the streets to demonstrate against rising living costs, inequality and declining public services.
The unrest, described as some of the country’s most destructive in years, resulted in at least 272 arrests, according to France’s Interior Ministry, following incidents in Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Angers and Lyon, Reuters report.
The CGT union estimated that 800,000 people participated in the demonstrations, although the Interior Ministry did not provide its own estimate.
Protesters said many marches were peaceful and blamed the violence on individuals who joined to cause damage and confront police. In Paris, officers deployed tear gas as clashes intensified, while shops and restaurants were damaged, vehicles and trash cans were set on fire, and several central areas experienced disruption. In Lyon, protesters set fire to the tourist office, while Marseille’s mayor reported vandalism at the town hall.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government would not be intimidated by the violence, accusing the far-left and criminals of exploiting the demonstrations ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Meanwhile, protests over rising costs also took place in other European countries today.
The post International News: Police and protesters clash across France in major unrest over cost of living appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.