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Nearly 1,000 people were arrested during a day of protests that drew hundreds of thousands of demonstrators across France. The demonstrations, which were largely peaceful, turned violent in several cities, prompting police to use tear gas and water cannons. According to the Interior Ministry, an estimated 410,000 people took part in Saturday’s protests, while unions reported about 800,000 participants. About 70,000 police officers were deployed, and restrictions were imposed in several cities to prevent the unrest that had escalated into widespread looting and arson the previous weekend. President Emmanuel Macron had announced earlier in the week that only demonstrations organized by recognized trade unions would be permitted. In the days since, hundreds of people have been jailed for vandalism, arson and looting after fast‑track court hearings. In Paris, clashes erupted at the end of a march from Porte d’Italie to Porte de Vincennes. Police, including an elite unit that usually handles organized crime and counter‑terrorism, used batons to disperse groups of masked youths who were smashing windows of a car dealership. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that “several thousand radical activists gathered at the rear of the march, including around 500 individuals identified as rioters,” according to AFP. In Marseille, rubbish bins were set ablaze and metal sheets were used to block streets. A law‑enforcement vehicle was seen driving through a burning barricade. In Bordeaux, protesters in dark clothing and face coverings removed boards from a building to construct a street barricade. In Lyon, police deployed tear gas grenades to disperse a crowd that had gathered in an area deemed off‑limits by the local prefecture. One protester recalled, “There were around 150 of us, mostly secondary school and university students. Then the tear gas came almost immediately. You could barely see anything in the street.” Nuñez reported that nearly 1,000 people had been arrested, a figure that he said would rise. He also said that two people had been “seriously injured”: one in Toulouse and another in Clermont‑Ferrand. A 26‑year‑old protester in Paris, who identified herself as Zelie, told the BBC that people had taken to the streets because they were “really frustrated” and had been “suffering a lot” since Macron took office. “They keep us quiet. They take our money, they tax us a lot and we can’t say anything. Today we are in the streets because it’s been too long, it’s been too much,” she said. Two masked teenage protesters, who declined to give their names, said their generation felt abandoned by the government. “I think looting is really not good,” one said of last Saturday’s disorder. “But it’s because of poverty and the violence of the police.” He added that the protests would end “when we have a response to our demands. We really want a change in France.” In Orléans, a rally against the hard‑right National Rally party drew about 13,000 people and proceeded peacefully. Similar protests over cost of living and public services were also held in other European cities on Saturday. In Tirana, Albania, riot police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of anti‑government demonstrators. In Brussels, Belgium, clashes were reported. In Milan, Italy, a major security operation involving hundreds of soldiers and police prevented protesters from gathering after fears of violent scenes similar to those seen in France last week. Article source: My Joy Online | Image credit: My Joy Online
Nearly 1,000 people were arrested during a day of protests that drew hundreds of thousands of demonstrators across France. The demonstrations, which were largely peaceful, turned violent in several cities, prompting police to use tear gas and water cannons. According to the Interior Ministry, an estimated 410,000 people took part in Saturday’s protests, while unions reported about 800,000 participants. About 70,000 police officers were deployed, and restrictions were imposed in several cities to prevent the unrest that had escalated into widespread looting and arson the previous weekend. President Emmanuel Macron had announced earlier in the week that only demonstrations organized by recognized trade unions would be permitted. In the days since, hundreds of people have been jailed for vandalism, arson and looting after fast‑track court hearings. In Paris, clashes erupted at the end of a march from Porte d’Italie to Porte de Vincennes. Police, including an elite unit that usually handles organized crime and counter‑terrorism, used batons to disperse groups of masked youths who were smashing windows of a car dealership. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that “several thousand radical activists gathered at the rear of the march, including around 500 individuals identified as rioters,” according to AFP. In Marseille, rubbish bins were set ablaze and metal sheets were used to block streets. A law‑enforcement vehicle was seen driving through a burning barricade. In Bordeaux, protesters in dark clothing and face coverings removed boards from a building to construct a street barricade. In Lyon, police deployed tear gas grenades to disperse a crowd that had gathered in an area deemed off‑limits by the local prefecture. One protester recalled, “There were around 150 of us, mostly secondary school and university students. Then the tear gas came almost immediately. You could barely see anything in the street.” Nuñez reported that nearly 1,000 people had been arrested, a figure that he said would rise. He also said that two people had been “seriously injured”: one in Toulouse and another in Clermont‑Ferrand. A 26‑year‑old protester in Paris, who identified herself as Zelie, told the BBC that people had taken to the streets because they were “really frustrated” and had been “suffering a lot” since Macron took office. “They keep us quiet. They take our money, they tax us a lot and we can’t say anything. Today we are in the streets because it’s been too long, it’s been too much,” she said. Two masked teenage protesters, who declined to give their names, said their generation felt abandoned by the government. “I think looting is really not good,” one said of last Saturday’s disorder. “But it’s because of poverty and the violence of the police.” He added that the protests would end “when we have a response to our demands. We really want a change in France.” In Orléans, a rally against the hard‑right National Rally party drew about 13,000 people and proceeded peacefully. Similar protests over cost of living and public services were also held in other European cities on Saturday. In Tirana, Albania, riot police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of anti‑government demonstrators. In Brussels, Belgium, clashes were reported. In Milan, Italy, a major security operation involving hundreds of soldiers and police prevented protesters from gathering after fears of violent scenes similar to those seen in France last week.
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