France: 1,314 Arrested and 53 Police Injured in Widespread Protests
The French Interior Ministry announced the arrest of 1,314 people and injuries to 53 police officers during widespread protests over living costs and wages, with calls for a general strike on November 5.
Translated by Qiyas from السياسة — Original source
Riots and clashes in Paris and several other cities... Calls for new demonstrations and a general strike on November 5
France’s Interior Ministry announced on Sunday that 1,314 people had been arrested and 53 police officers injured during widespread protests across the country over the weekend, which were marked by clashes and riots in several major cities. The demonstrations were held in protest against rising living costs, low wages, and declining public services.
France witnessed large-scale protests for the second consecutive week on Saturday, with the Interior Ministry estimating participation by 410,000 people, while trade unions claimed the actual number of participants was nearly double the official figure.
In Paris, at least 110,000 demonstrators took part in a march through the southeastern suburbs of the capital, protesting growing social inequality and rising living costs, before the situation escalated into clashes with security forces as the protest ended.
Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse around 500 masked youths after tensions intensified in the vicinity of the demonstrations.
In Marseille, protesters set fire to garbage bins to block roads and threw stones and bottles at security forces. Several shops, including two jewelry stores, were looted and vandalized, according to police.
Clashes spread to the cities of Lyon, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand, Lille, Rennes, Nantes, and Toulouse, amid a massive security deployment involving 70,000 police and gendarme officers, an increase of 10,000 personnel compared to the previous week.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez accused groups from the far-left and criminal gangs of attempting to exploit the demonstrations to incite violence, noting that groups he described as highly dangerous had broken away from the main marches and begun rioting.
The security reinforcement came after authorities acknowledged their underestimation of the scale of the unrest that swept the country on October 17.
Amid ongoing tensions, trade unions, labor federations, and protest groups have called for new demonstrations next Saturday, paving the way for a general strike on November 5 to continue pressuring the government over wages, living costs, and public services.
Protest organizers emphasized that public discontent has transcended the student movement that began last month, now encompassing broader sectors of French society.
