France Detains 980 in New Protest Wave

French authorities arrested 980 people on Saturday following a national day of protests that turned violent in several major cities. The interior ministry reported the demonstrations were largely peaceful during the day, but evening clashes in Paris, Marseille, and Bordeaux led to the use of tear gas and water cannon. Officials stated the strict security posture was designed to prevent a recurrence of the severe disorder seen one week prior.

The government estimated the total turnout at 410,000, a figure union leaders disputed by claiming approximately 800,000 participants. To manage the crowds, police deployed 70,000 officers and imposed movement restrictions in key urban centers. This heavy presence followed President Emmanuel Macron's earlier decree limiting official demonstrations to those organized by recognized trade unions.

In Paris, a march from Porte d'Italie to Porte de Vincennes ended in conflict when protesters built makeshift barricades and threw projectiles. Police charged with batons at groups of masked youths smashing windows at a car dealership. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said several thousand radical activists gathered at the rear of the march, including around 500 individuals identified as rioters. An elite unit typically assigned to counter-terrorism operations was part of the police response.

Violence in Marseille involved burning barricades and metal sheets used to block streets. In Lyon, police dispersed a crowd in a restricted area with tear gas. One protester, a student, told reporters that the group of about 150 people could barely see through the smoke. Nuñez confirmed two people were seriously injured, one in Toulouse and another in Clermont-Ferrand, and said the arrest count would likely increase.

Demonstrators expressed frustration over the cost of living and school conditions. A 26-year-old Parisian named Zelie said people were suffering and that the situation had been too much. Two masked teenagers blamed poverty and police violence, noting that the protests would end only when their demands were met. In Orléans, 13,000 people rallied peacefully against the National Rally party.

Unrest extended beyond French borders. Riot police in Tirana, Albania, fired tear gas at anti-government demonstrators, while clashes were reported in Brussels. In Milan, hundreds of soldiers and police blocked gathering points to prevent a repeat of last week's violence. Last weekend saw about 550,000 demonstrators, over 2,500 arrests, and damage to more than 2,000 businesses estimated in the hundreds of millions of euros.