In brief
On Saturday, France hosted an unprecedented protest mobilisation, drawing between 410,000 and 800,000 participants. In clashes that erupted in Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux, police resorted to tear gas and water cannons, leading to over 1,300 arrests and many injuries. Demonstrators set makeshift barricades on fire and confronted police, while authorities blamed a small group of radical activists for the unrest. The wave of disorder highlights mounting frustration with Macron’s policies and foreshadows a highly polarised presidential election season.
On Saturday, a storm of protests shook France, with police claiming more than 1,300 arrests as crowds flared in major cities.
While most marches began peacefully, confrontations in Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux tipped the scale. In the capital, police poured tear gas and deployed an elite riot unit, while in Marseille loud‑speakers led to the ignition of temporary barricades.
In Bordeaux, demonstrators took boards from a shuttered shop and erected a street barrier that was later set aflame. Police are also accusing a small group of masked youths of smashing windows and attacking officers.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said around 140 people were arrested in Paris, half the number of last‑week’s riot. He added that 53 officers were wounded across the country and that the violence left a handful of civilians seriously hurt, including a 20‑year‑old who suffered severe injuries when a police grenade exploded.
The unrest comes amid increasing calls for change, with many protestors blaming Macron’s decision to tax heavily and limit civil freedoms. Opposition parties are scrambling, while the Interior Ministry tightened enforcement and called for new restrictions, allowing only recognised trade unions to organise demonstrations.
Last weekend’s series of protests had already attracted over 550,000 participants and led to more than 2,500 arrests, leaving activists and businesses wary of a repeat scenario in the lead‑up to the upcoming presidential election.
