France: Riots and arrests during widespread protests in Paris and other cities
Paris and other French cities witnessed widespread protests and riots, resulting in 135 arrests and dozens of injuries, amid heavy security presence and President Macron's intervention.
Translated by Qiyas from السياسة — Original source
The French capital, Paris, and several other cities witnessed widespread protests on Saturday, marked by riots and clashes with security forces that left dozens injured and 135 others detained, amid a heavy security presence across the country.
French media reported that police carried out arrests and raids targeting protesters who threw projectiles at officers or attempted to vandalize public and private property.
Local media reports indicated that around 40 people were injured with varying degrees of severity in Paris, mostly due to stampedes and falls, while police arrested 65 individuals in the capital.
In Toulouse, the city council announced via its official X account that one person suffered serious injuries, without specifying the circumstances of the incident. Meanwhile, security forces used tear gas to disperse groups involved in riots in Marseille and Lyon.
In Saint-Étienne, a masked group of around 400 people attacked security personnel and blocked a major road, according to statements from the relevant municipal councils. In Bordeaux, police officers were pelted with various projectiles, forcing them to close roads and take cover behind barriers and barricades.
Regarding the number of participants, the General Confederation of Labor stated that more than 800,000 people took part in protests and marches across France, including 250,000 in Paris alone, while the Paris police estimated the number of demonstrators in the capital at around 110,000.
Earlier on Saturday, the French Ministry of Interior announced the deployment of more than 70,000 police and gendarmes across the country to secure the protests, before revealing that raids resulted in the detention of 135 individuals and the seizure of bladed weapons and gas masks.
These developments follow a week of protests characterized by riots, vandalism, and the burning of public and private buildings, during which security authorities arrested more than 2,700 people.
Last Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a ban on all unauthorized union demonstrations, pledging to deploy military personnel to restore order and control the violence.
