France deploys 70,000 officers as 320,000 protesters march in third wave

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched across France on Saturday, October 31, in the third week of mass protests against the cost of living and public services. The interior ministry reported that 320,000 people participated in rallies nationwide, a decrease from the 410,000 estimated in the previous weekend's demonstrations. In Paris, 70,000 people marched along boulevards on the south-eastern outskirts, deliberately avoiding the city centre. As evening approached, the largely peaceful mood shifted when police in several cities deployed tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds that had been joined by masked rioters.

The current unrest follows a first wave of mass protest on October 17, which resulted in widespread street violence and looting. That event is described as one of the worst days of civil unrest in recent French history. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated earlier in the week that 70,000 police and gendarmes, including elite units, would be deployed to manage the sidelines of the protests. He warned that the day presented a high risk of violence. The Paris police prefecture noted that a hardcore of several hundred rioters attacked officers with projectiles, including a molotov cocktail, while police manoeuvred to restore public order.

In Paris, protesters began their march peacefully from the Porte de Bagnolet near the ring road. Many held placards with slogans such as 'No need for teargas to make our future look bleak' and 'Disguised as an angry citizen for Halloween.' Some participants wore Halloween costumes. Near the destination at the Porte de Charenton, dozens of masked individuals dressed in black pried up paving stones with hammers and threw them at police. French media reported that at least one incendiary device was thrown at security forces. Officers responded with tear gas and baton charges.

Similar scenes unfolded in other major cities. In Lyon, protesters threw projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas. In Toulouse, police used water cannons against an unauthorised protest that drew several thousand young demonstrators. The marches brought together school students, who have called for better conditions for a month, trade unions, and yellow vest protesters. Jérôme Rodrigues, a protester on the Paris march, said the French economy is struggling because the government juggles billions while families fight over cents. Camille Guérin, a protester in Nantes, stated the group says no to the cost of living and the far right, and yes to student demands and citizen voice.

Student organisations plan to stage new blockades at high schools and universities on Tuesday and Thursday. Sabrine Kharbach of the Union Étudiante said the students will then join the demonstration called by workers and trade unions on November 5. In Germany, police fired water cannons to disperse protesters who threw fireworks at the end of youth-led marches organised by the group Gen Z regelt! In Cologne, police dispersed a crowd after protesters targeted officers with fireworks. A march in Frankfurt was temporarily halted after fireworks were set off. In Berlin, protesters hurled bottles and eggs, while barricades were set on fire in Hamburg. Police in Barcelona and Italy remained on alert following recent clashes in Milan, Turin, and Bologna.