Nationwide demonstrations continued across on Thursday (local time), drawing roughly 575,000 protesters, according to government estimates, in the largest turnout recorded since the protests began in September.
The protests were largely peaceful, despite some clashes with police in major cities like Paris and Lyon, as some public sector workers staged a one-day strike in a renewed challenge to President Emmanuel Macron, Reuters reported.
While the Interior Ministry said 575,000 people attended the protests, the CGT union, one of the organisers, put the figure at 1.6 million.
According to CNN, the demonstrations have expanded beyond students demanding better conditions in schools, drawing participation from trade unions and protesters. The protests have also disrupted operations at schools, universities, railways and, to a lesser extent, hospitals.
Several high-profile politicians also joined the protests, including presidential candidates Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Raphaël Glucksmann. The demonstrations follow protests over the high cost of living, public services and education, which have triggered the worst civil unrest in France in years.
The unrest in France comes just months before a presidential election, which Macron cannot contest, putting added pressure on Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. He is preparing to meet workers’ and employers’ groups on November 9 (local time) to discuss concerns over the cost of living and salaries. The election could pit far-right candidate Marine Le Pen against hard-left rival Mélenchon in a second-round run-off.
The strike also led to a drop in France’s nuclear power output early on Thursday, while the Education Ministry said just over 15% of the country’s teaching staff had joined the walkout.
Protests got underway in Lyon and other cities, including Marseille and Nantes, during the morning, while the main march in began later in the afternoon from Place de la République.
At the start, the mood in Paris was festive, with a large group of participants singing “La Marseillaise” and some carnival-like floats. The one-day strike drew participants from energy workers and teachers, and the Eiffel Tower was shut down. However, there were no major disruptions to transport services in Paris.
Two hours later, several people at the front of the march clashed with police, who fired tear gas. Citing Paris police, Reuters reported that several hooded individuals had committed acts of vandalism, prompting officers to intervene to stop the incidents and isolate those involved.
In Lyon, southeastern France, about 470 km southeast of Paris, riot police used tear gas against protesters and charged at a group, some of whom shouted anti-police slogans. The Interior Ministry said police in Lyon were confronted by several hundred protesters. Although violence was contained, tensions remained high.
As the demonstrations drew to a close, some protesters clashed with police, while authorities had to put out at least one small fire near the protest site. The Interior Ministry announced that at least 53 police officers had been injured and more than 448 people arrested.
Around 70,000 police personnel were deployed across the country, a figure comparable to that of recent weekends. The French government defended police actions while maintaining that any instances of misconduct would be investigated.
Ever since demonstrations turned violent roughly three weeks ago, authorities and shopkeepers have braced for similar scenes at each of the nationwide protests that followed.
However, CNN reported that some train services were disrupted due to the demonstrations and striking workers. Citing the country’s Health Ministry, it said that roughly 5% of hospital staff had participated in the strike, adding that “no significant disruption to healthcare services has been reported”.
The demonstrations highlight the growing discontent over living costs, public services and education, adding to the political pressure on Macron’s government ahead of the next presidential election.
(with agency inputs)
