What started as high school student demonstrations over neglected classrooms and teacher shortages has rapidly expanded across France, bringing hundreds of thousands of people into the streets over soaring living costs and struggling public services. While the vast majority marched peacefully on Saturday, tensions erupted on the fringes of several demonstrations, leading to intense clashes with riot police, looted stores, and more than 1,200 arrests nationwide.
The unrest originated last month in Paris's northern suburbs, where pupils condemned inadequate learning conditions and teacher absences. Economic frustration soon drew in broader segments of society, including pensioners, labourers, and farmers. Mobilisation was further driven by social media calls to revive the 2018 "yellow vest" (gilets jaunes) movement. France’s major CGT trade union officially backed the protests, demanding higher wages, lower prices, and the protection of public services. Their demands resonated widely; a recent October survey showed that roughly 45% of French citizens worry about inflation and high prices.
Turnout was substantial across scores of cities, with the interior ministry estimating 550,000 participants while the CGT claimed 800,000 attended. However, peaceful marches were overshadowed by destructive fringe violence. In the central city of Limoges, a fire lit by masked demonstrators destroyed much of the 143-year-old town hall. In Paris, police fired clouds of tear gas near Place de la République as rioters smashed shop windows, set a lorry on fire, and attacked banks. In Marseille, protesters briefly breached city hall after using street barriers to ram the doors.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported that 150 police officers were injured during the confrontations, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the rioters for hijacking the legitimate protests. President Emmanuel Macron appealed for calm and respect for property, yet public anger remains palpable. "We are fighting because the cost of living is too harsh, because the price of fuel is too high," said Lola, a 19-year-old demonstrator in Paris, highlighting how deep-seated grievances over living standards have turned local school complaints into a major national challenge.