France: Hundreds arrested after nationwide protests

France: Hundreds arrested after nationwide protests

The full report

Hundreds of people were arrested in France after nationwide protests on Saturday, according to the French government. The government said that 1,314 people were detained during the protests, which took place in cities across the country. The protests were sparked by a range of issues, including the high cost of living, the government's policing policies, and the demand for more teachers and repairs to dilapidated buildings. The protests were largely peaceful, but clashes broke out in some cities, with police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters. The interior ministry said that 53 police officers and other security personnel were injured during the protests, and that 75 fires were set and 24 shops were looted. The government has opened talks with unions and student representatives, but protest leaders say its proposals are inadequate. French unions and protest groups have called for fresh demonstrations on October 31 and a nationwide strike on November 5 to maintain pressure on the government. The left-wing Solidaires union federation said anger over wages, living costs and public services was bringing together students, workers, firefighters and other groups. The SUD Education teaching union said it would join the October 31 demonstrations. The larger CGT union is set to decide during the week. The Yellow Vests movement also called for rallies, including sit-ins outside town halls and the National Assembly. The government has opened talks with unions and student representatives, but protest leaders say its proposals are inadequate. The interior ministry said that 410,000 participants took part in 289 demonstrations and gatherings, down from 550,000 a week earlier. Other estimates put Saturday's turnout as high as 800,000. The government estimated that at least 400,000 people had marched across France. Trade unions estimated the number at double that. The interior ministry said there had been 1,314 arrests, 75 fires and 24 shops looted – less than last weekend. Laurent Nuñez, the interior minister, said that at various street marches across France there were what he called “high-risk groups” who “broke away from the main body and sought to commit acts of violence”. More than 70,000 police were on the streets of French cities, with shops boarded up and many museums closed. The government had feared a repeat of last Saturday, when, despite peaceful protests taking place, France saw one of the most violent days of unrest in years, with public buildings burned, hundreds of shops destroyed and looted and at least 2,700 people arrested in cities across the country. At Saturday’s protests, there was widespread anger at Macron for banning non-union demonstrations that his government deemed “illegitimate” and for keeping all protesters away from city centres. At the Paris march, Nadège, a 43-year-old communications worker, said she had been teargassed last weekend at a peaceful demonstration. “I’m out again peacefully today to support everyone who is brave enough to demonstrate. It does take courage. People are afraid now. We have to keep our rights alive … In France, it’s our legal right to protest in the street and I’m here to defend that.”