Nearly 1,000 people were detained across France as thousands returned to the streets over rising living costs, housing shortages and underfunded education. More than 410,000 people demonstrated nationwide on Saturday, including around 110,000 in Paris, according to France’s Interior Ministry. Although most marches remained peaceful, clashes and isolated cases of looting occurred in several cities, including Marseille and Bordeaux.
French authorities deployed around 70,000 police officers to prevent a repeat of the previous weekend’s widespread violence. Security forces used tear gas and water cannons to disperse some crowds, while reports of vandalism and clashes emerged in Barcelona, Tirana and Brussels. In Barcelona, police arrested 128 people following riots and looting, and officials reported damage to 23 businesses. Demonstrations elsewhere in Europe focused on issues ranging from pension protections in Spain to housing affordability in Portugal.
Protests across Europe show growing public frustration with rising costs and public services, though concerns vary by country. In France, opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon warned that protests could continue unless President Emmanuel Macron addresses people’s demands. He also suggested that workers could stage nationwide industrial action on November 5, putting further pressure on the French government in the coming weeks.
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