400,000 March in France Amid School Crisis

French authorities estimated that at least 400,000 people marched across the country on Saturday, a figure that underscores the scale of the current social unrest. Trade unions claimed the actual number was double that, though both estimates confirm a massive show of force on the streets. The demonstrations were largely peaceful, though they marked a second consecutive weekend of significant public protest.

The government deployed more than 70,000 police officers to manage the crowds. In response to the threat of renewed violence, many shops boarded up their windows and numerous museums closed their doors. This heavy security presence followed a previous Saturday that saw some of the most violent unrest in years, including the burning of public buildings, the destruction of hundreds of shops, and the arrest of at least 2,700 people.

In Paris, at least 110,000 people marched along the eastern edge of the city, according to government counts. The mood in the capital remained relaxed for much of the afternoon, with brass bands playing and families joining the crowd. Marchers carried banners with slogans such as "Oppression breeds rebellion" and "The right to protest," directing anger at what they described as heavy-handed policing tactics used against school demonstrators over the past month.

Tensions rose at the end of the Paris route near Porte de Vincennes, where groups of masked men in black threw glass bottles and stones at police. Officers responded with teargas, water cannon, and stun grenades. Similar clashes occurred in other major cities, with teargas used in Lyon, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes, and Toulouse to keep protesters away from city centers. Bin fires were lit during clashes in Marseille.

The protests began in mid-September when high school students aged 15 to 18 started demonstrating against staff shortages, crumbling buildings, and a lack of chairs in overcrowded classrooms. The movement has since expanded to include trade unions, teachers, and parents. Police investigations are currently underway after several children and protesters were injured or maimed by explosive police weaponry.

Participants expressed frustration with President Emmanuel Macron, who is in his final months in office. Critics pointed to his ban on non-union demonstrations deemed illegitimate and his strategy of keeping protesters away from city centers. Nadège, a 43-year-old communications worker, said she was teargassed at a peaceful demonstration the previous weekend. She stated that it takes courage to protest now because people are afraid, adding that defending the legal right to protest in the street is essential.

A 21-year-old student from a blockaded Paris science faculty described the current situation as increasingly authoritarian, saying the government is trying to stop the democratic right to protest. Jérôme Rodrigues, a key figure from the 2018 and 2019 gilets jaunes movement, said the government is afraid and pushing demonstrators to the city's edges. He argued that police shields will not provide an answer to people struggling to make ends meet, and he expects demonstrations to continue every weekend.

In Orléans, thousands of people marched against a congress held by Marine Le Pen's National Rally party. The crowd chanted "Macron, resign" and "Le Pen in prison," criticizing both the current president and the frontrunner in next year's presidential election. Pierre, a 60-year-old retired banking consultant, said he marched for his eight-year-old granddaughter, citing the government's refusal to listen to public demands.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that 135 people were arrested across France on Saturday. Authorities confiscated various weapons from protesters, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana sword, and airsoft weapons. Jesse, a 40-year-old charity worker, noted that she prepared carefully for the march, wearing old clothes in case they were torn or gassed.

The crisis has evolved from a student-led initiative into the biggest youth movement in years. While some demonstrators wore yellow vests to recall the anti-government protests of 2018 and 2019, the current focus remains on fixing dilapidated school buildings and addressing the cost of living. The government faces the challenge of balancing security with the public's demand for political solutions rather than just police management.