More than 1,300 people were arrested across France as hundreds of thousands protested against the rising cost of living and poor school conditions, with clashes erupting in several cities.
The Interior Ministry estimated that around 410,000 people joined the demonstrations, while trade unions put the figure at 800,000. Authorities deployed 70,000 police officers to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s widespread rioting and looting.
According to media reports, Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters in Paris and Lyon, while demonstrators set fire to barricades in Marseille and damaged property in Bordeaux. The Interior Ministry reported that 53 officers were injured, while two people sustained serious injuries in Toulouse and Clermont-Ferrand.
In Paris, 142 people were arrested after clashes broke out towards the end of a largely peaceful march. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the number of arrests nationwide could rise.
Last weekend’s unrest resulted in more than 2,500 arrests and caused extensive damage to businesses across France, with losses estimated at hundreds of millions of euros.
The protests come amid growing political tensions ahead of next spring’s presidential election, with rival political leaders blaming President Emmanuel Macron for the unrest.
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