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Live Updates: Hundreds of Thousands March in France Amid Heavy Security
· Confirmed
In Short: The accounts agree that hundreds of thousands of people protested across France, with significant unrest and security concerns.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) reported that 410,000 people protested nationwide, including 110,000 in Paris, while AFP and BBC (United Kingdom) estimated around 250,000 demonstrators.
The protests, organized by students, teachers, and unions, were in response to deteriorating school conditions and rising living costs.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) noted that the marchers included young students, teachers, ecologists, and union representatives, who chanted slogans like 'Too many billionaires; we are preparing the revolution.'
AFP and BBC (United Kingdom) highlighted that students have been blocking high school entrances since late September, citing issues such as missing teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and poor facilities.
Reuters and Staradvertiser reported peaceful marches in Paris and Orleans, but also noted sporadic clashes in Marseille, where youths blocked streets and set fires.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) and BBC (United Kingdom) reported that the government has banned several planned marches in major cities, leading to further protests.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 70,000 police officers would be deployed, and around 1,000 people were arrested during the protests.
Protesters, including 19-year-old Lilia and 22-year-old Clara Lebbadi, expressed hope that President Emmanuel Macron would listen to their demands.
The 'Yellow Vest' movement also announced plans for a protest on October 31, adding to the ongoing unrest.
Despite the bans and security measures, the protests continued, with demonstrators calling for Macron's resignation and better living conditions.
What's confirmed
- Al Jazeera (Qatar) reported that 410,000 people protested nationwide, including 110,000 in Paris, while AFP and BBC (United Kingdom) estimated around 250,000 demonstrators.
- The protests, organized by students, teachers, and unions, were in response to deteriorating school conditions and rising living costs.
- AFP and BBC (United Kingdom) highlighted that students have been blocking high school entrances since late September, citing issues such as missing teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and poor facilities.
- Reuters and Staradvertiser reported peaceful marches in Paris and Orleans, but also noted sporadic clashes in Marseille, where youths blocked streets and set fires.
- Al Jazeera (Qatar) and BBC (United Kingdom) reported that the government has banned several planned marches in major cities, leading to further protests.
- Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 70,000 police officers would be deployed, and around 1,000 people were arrested during the protests.
- Protesters, including 19-year-old Lilia and 22-year-old Clara Lebbadi, expressed hope that President Emmanuel Macron would listen to their demands.
- The 'Yellow Vest' movement also announced plans for a protest on October 31, adding to the ongoing unrest.
- Despite the bans and security measures, the protests continued, with demonstrators calling for Macron's resignation and better living conditions.
What's still developing
- Towards the end of the march, as night fell and temperatures dropped, the mood changed.
- The CGT, one of France’s largest union confederations, put both figures at nearly double the official totals.
- France braces for a second wave of protests after worst riots in years Paris, France – Hundreds of thousands of people across France have marched in a second wave of mass protests against deteriorating school conditions and the rising cost of living.
- Sweeping restrictions have been imposed on demonstrations across France but hundreds of thousands of protesters are still expected to gather in Paris and elsewhere for a second round of protests organised by students, trade unions and wider anti-government groups.
- Hundreds of people have been jailed for vandalism, arson and looting after fast-track court hearings in recent days.
- Some public buildings and businesses across France have been boarded up ahead of Saturday's protests France is on high alert ahead of a new day of nationwide protests on Saturday, a week after the country saw some of its worst unrest in decades.
- About 110,000 people marched peacefully through the French capital, according to police numbers.
- The first authorised march today passed off peacefully in Orleans, around 75 miles south of Paris, where demonstrators rallied against Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, which is holding a party congress in the city.
- By Juliette Jabkhiro, Yann Tessier and Crispian Balmer / Reuters Protesters chant and dance in Montpellier, France, today amid a wave of demonstrations in the country, in this screengrab from a verified video obtained from social media.
- Meanwhile, the ‘Yellow Vest’ movement – remnants of the grassroots cost-of-living protests that shook France in 2018 – has announced it will hold a protest on October 31.
- France is facing one of its largest high school protest movements in decades, with hundreds of schools closing or suspending lessons as demonstrations over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating facilities spread across the country.
- France has around 3,700 high schools, and Education Minister Édouard Geffray said that lessons would be completely or partially suspended at between 400 and 500 institutions where authorities considered security conditions inadequate.