In France, during the third wave of protests on 31 October, law enforcement detained 511 people. In Paris, Marseille and other cities, clashes broke out between police and rioters after largely peaceful demonstrations.
The Guardian reports.
According to France’s Interior Ministry, around 320,000 people took part in demonstrations across the country. In Paris, about 70,000 participants joined the march. The previous weekend, the number of protesters nationwide was estimated at 410,000.
The rallies were directed against the high cost of living, the declining quality of public services and growing inequality. School pupils, trade unions and members of the “Yellow Vests” movement joined in. Some demonstrators came in Halloween costumes.
France’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nunez, said that around 150 planned demonstrations passed off peacefully. At the same time, clashes began at the end of the rallies in several cities. According to the minister, in Paris a bottle containing an incendiary mixture hit one of the police officers. He called it an “attempted murder”.
In the capital, groups of people dressed in black and wearing masks tore up paving stones and threw them at police officers. At least one incendiary device was also launched towards law enforcement. Police used tear gas and batons to push the crowd back.
In Lyon, demonstrators threw objects at law enforcement, after which officers used tear gas. In Toulouse, water cannons were used against participants in an unauthorised rally. Unrest also took place in Marseille.
On the eve of the protests, the French authorities planned to deploy 70,000 police officers and gendarmes to maintain order. The minister warned of a high risk of violence during the rallies.
The protests took place two weeks after a wave of mass demonstrations on 17 October, which were also accompanied by clashes and looting.
Protest actions also took place in other European countries. In Germany, after youth demonstrations, police used water cannons and pepper spray. In Frankfurt, at least two shops were looted, and in Cologne and Berlin law enforcement also clashed with rioters.
