Mass protests sweep France over schools and living costs

Mass protests swept across France on Saturday as citizens marched in support of schoolchildren's demands for better education conditions, while also expressing frustration over the high cost of living and heavy-handed policing. In Paris, at least 110,000 people marched along the eastern edge of the city, according to government estimates. Participants backed high school students but also voiced anger over the high cost of living and what they described as heavy-handed policing, saying riot officers had been sent to target school protesters over the past month instead of the government offering political solutions.

The mood in the capital was relaxed for much of the afternoon, with brass bands playing and children and grandchildren among the crowd. Some marchers carried banners criticising the government's policing, reading 'Oppression breeds rebellion' and 'The right to protest'. Tensions flared at the end of the Paris route, at Porte de Vincennes on the city's eastern edge, where groups of masked men dressed in black who did not appear to have taken part in the peaceful march threw glass bottles and stones at police. Officers responded with teargas, water cannon and stun grenades, while a bin was set alight and fireworks were set off towards police. Teargas was also fired to keep protesters from reaching city centres in Lyon, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse, and bin fires were lit amid clashes in Marseille.

The government estimated that at least 400,000 people marched nationwide, while trade unions put the figure at double that. More than 70,000 police officers were deployed, with shops boarded up and many museums closed. The government had feared a repeat of the previous Saturday, when, despite peaceful protests, France saw one of its most violent days of unrest in years, with public buildings burned, hundreds of shops destroyed and looted, and at least 2,700 people arrested.

The crisis began in mid-September, when students aged 15 to 18 started protesting against staff shortages, leaking and crumbling buildings, and a lack of chairs in overcrowded classrooms. It has grown into the biggest youth movement in years, with trade unions, teachers and parents joining. Police investigations are under way after some children and protesters were maimed and injured by explosive police weaponry.

Some demonstrators wore yellow vests recalling the gilets jaunes anti-government protests of 2018 and 2019. Jérôme Rodrigues, a key figure from that movement, said: 'Today the government is afraid; that is why they are pushing demonstrators to the edge of the city, away from places of power. It's not police shields that will provide an answer to French people struggling and unable to make ends meet.' He said demonstrations were likely to continue each weekend. Pierre, a 60-year-old retired banking consultant, said he was marching for his eight-year-old granddaughter, citing 'a complete refusal by the government to listen to people's demands.' Jesse, 40, a charity worker from the north of Paris carrying a 'Free Hugs' sign, said: 'This is the first time I've prepared so carefully for a peaceful march, wearing old clothes in case they are gassed or torn.' In Orléans, thousands of people shouting anti-fascist slogans marched against a congress held by Marine Le Pen's far-right anti-immigration National Rally party. Protesters criticised Le Pen, a frontrunner in next year's presidential election, as well as Macron, who steps down next year. 'Macron, resign. Le Pen in prison,' the crowd shouted.

The interior minister, Laurent Nunez, said 135 people had been arrested across France and that weapons had been confiscated, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana sword and airsoft weapons.