Clashes break between police and protesters in Paris
Police and protesters clashed in Paris after demonstrations over living costs and education remained largely peaceful earlier Saturday. France’s Interior…
Protests over the cost of living and France’s education system were largely peaceful earlier Saturday, before clashes break between police and demonstrators in Paris late in the day. The confrontations followed marches across the country, where authorities and union organizers offered sharply different estimates of attendance.
France’s Interior Ministry said about 410,000 people took part nationwide, while organizers from the General Confederation of Labor put the figure at around 800,000. The difference had not been explained. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 135 people had been arrested and weapons seized, while describing the national situation as having had “no major incident.”
The competing figures matter because the protests have brought together public anger over household costs and concerns about education, while police and organizers also disagree over the scale of participation. For residents and businesses, the immediate concern is whether demonstrations remain peaceful or lead to further damage and disruption.
Paris had prepared for possible unrest. Shops were boarded up, and events, including those linked to the NFL’s first French football game, were canceled. Authorities described the atmosphere in the city as “calm” before confrontations developed later.
March route changed before clashes
Thousands gathered for an authorized demonstration at Porte d’Italie, on Paris’s southeastern edge. Organizers had initially planned to march near the Bastille, closer to the city center, but authorities changed the route at the last minute.
Union representative Murielle Guilbert criticized the decision, telling reporters it was “scandalous” that Macron had forbidden protesters from demonstrating “where we wish to demonstrate.” Participants nevertheless followed the revised route.
The front of the march ended without incident. Some demonstrators chanted “We are not happy” as they left the Porte de Vincennes. Police said 110,000 people participated in the Paris event; union members estimated 250,000.
Clashes followed as evening approached. Agence France-Presse reported that police used batons and tear gas, while officials said a water cannon was also deployed. Some protesters threw projectiles at officers.
Paris prosecutors said 64 people, including six minors, were arrested and 40 were placed in police custody. Most arrests concerned suspected weapons offenses or participation in a group preparing violence or property damage, according to the prosecutor’s office. Police said officers stopped and checked more than 3,000 people.
Authorities had prepared for a large security operation. Nuñez had previously said the government was preparing to deploy up to 70,000 officers nationwide, with helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons among the available equipment.
Protests also target far-right gathering
In Orleans, thousands marched against a congress held by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party. Le Pen is launching a campaign to succeed Emmanuel Macron as president, with elections due in six months. The demonstrations also criticized Macron.
Police estimated 11,000 people joined the Orleans protest, while organizers put the number at 26,000. About 50 organizations, including labor unions, left-wing parties and student groups, had called for the march against the party’s nationalist and anti-immigration platform.
Some placards referred to a shooting in Trappes, a Paris suburb, that killed one person and injured several others across several locations. Macron called the rampage a “racist terror attack.” Prosecutors are investigating the shooting as a terrorist incident.
French media reported that the protest against the congress ended peacefully early Saturday afternoon. The gathering is expected to continue through Sunday.
The clashes come after violence during similar protests last week. About 3,000 shops were looted or damaged last weekend, CBS News previously reported. The latest figures from the Paris prosecutor’s office put arrests in the capital at 64, including six minors.
Source: cbsnews.com
