Riot police have fired tear gas on the streets of cities across France and arrested more than 160 people as thousands of protests against the cost of living, rising fuel prices and the state of public services take place across the country.
Tens of thousands are protesting in Paris alone, with police firing tear gas and turning a water cannon on crowds in the Place de la République. In Marseille, a town hall was invaded and barricades set on fire as footage appears to show people attacking a bank. In Lyon, a tourist office has been destroyed, with smoke seen pouring from the building.
Arrests and Macron's appeal for calm
Police said 150 protesters were arrested in Paris "primarily for carrying weapons or prohibited protective gear". President Emmanuel Macron has appealed for "calm" and called on demonstrators to show "respect for people and property".
Student protests in France have seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets since they began late last month. Protesters are demanding more investment in their schools, criticising the lack of teachers and staff, overcrowded classrooms and rundown buildings. The latest protests are about wider problems in France, including the state of the education system.
Scenes of violence in Paris, Marseille and Lyon
In Paris, protesters set fire to barricades in the streets amid ongoing clashes with riot police. Video shared on X appears to show barricaded streets in central Paris. "In Paris, barricades are being erected and then set on fire in the Châtelet–Les Halles area, on the sidelines of the #17octobre mobilization," said a tweet.
In Marseille, the mayor said he had obtained police reinforcements after a discussion with Emmanuel Macron. Speaking on TV, Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan said the French president had told him police reinforcements would be sent to France's second largest city. The news comes after scenes of running battles in the streets of Marseille between cops and protesters as a crowd earlier smashed their way into a bank. There have also been reports that protesters briefly forced their way into the city hall.
Protesters voice frustration
Groups of protesters gathered at the Gare du Nord railway station ahead of the protests. One first-time protester said they were there due to high cost of living as well as to support students and follow in the footsteps of the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protesters in 2018. "We don't know Paris very well, so we're meeting here and then we're going to meet up with friends at République. It's the first time we've demonstrated," they told French paper Le Figaro. "We're here because we're fed up. I take the car every morning, it's way too expensive. The high school students showed us the way, so we're here to support them too. And then the Yellow Vests, 2018, that left a mark on us. Now it's even worse."
Police have arrested 166 people across France as of midday. People close to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez say that roughly 32,800 people had taken part in 140 protests across the country already. In Paris, police fired tear gas in the Place de la République, causing protesters to scatter. FRANCE 24 journalist Pauline Rouquette said he saw police searching bags and confiscating masks and saline solution, often used by demonstrators to clean their eyes after being hit with tear gas.
Today's mass protests come amid calls for unity between students, unions and cost of living protestors. There have even been calls on social media to revive the yellow vest movement, which emerged in 2018 against social injustice. Student groups who have been protesting since mid-September have urged supporters to join. The CGT, one of France's major unions, backs the protests, calling for "higher wages and pensions, lower prices and the protection of public services that meet people's needs".
