More than 1,300 people have been arrested across France following another day of mass protests on Saturday, October 24, as demonstrations over the cost of living and poor school conditions escalated into clashes between protesters and police.

France’s Interior Ministry estimated that 410,000 people participated in the demonstrations, while trade unions put the figure at approximately 800,000. Authorities deployed around 70,000 police officers nationwide to prevent a repeat of the widespread looting, arson and destruction witnessed the previous weekend.

Although many demonstrations remained peaceful, violence erupted in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Lyon. Police used tear gas, water cannon and baton charges to disperse crowds, while protesters set fire to barricades and damaged property.

The Interior Ministry reported that 53 police officers were injured during Saturday’s clashes. In Paris, 142 people were arrested after violence broke out at the end of a march from Porte d’Italie towards Porte de Vincennes.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said several thousand radical activists had gathered at the rear of the Paris march, including approximately 500 individuals identified as rioters, according to AFP.

Two people were reportedly seriously injured during the unrest, one in Toulouse and another in Clermont-Ferrand. In Toulouse, a 20-year-old protester reportedly lost several fingers when an explosive device detonated nearby.

The demonstrations reflect growing public frustration over economic pressures, taxation and education conditions. Some protesters accused the government of ignoring their concerns, while others condemned looting but argued that poverty and police violence were contributing to the unrest.

The protests come amid heightened political tensions ahead of France’s presidential elections expected next spring. President Emmanuel Macron and his government have faced criticism from both the far-right National Rally and the left-wing France Unbowed movement.

Unrest was also reported in Barcelona, Tirana and Brussels, with arrests and clashes recorded in several cities.

Last weekend’s demonstrations resulted in more than 2,500 arrests and damage affecting over 2,000 businesses, according to the report. French authorities now face pressure to restore public order while addressing the grievances driving the protests.

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