The student protests, which started as a reaction to the shortage of teachers and neglected schools in high schools in poor suburbs in France, turned into a massive nationwide anti-government movement targeting the cost of living and public expenditures.
Today, the most violent clashes of recent years took place in many cities between thousands of people who took to the streets and the police; Security forces intervened in the crowds with tear gas.
According to local media reports, the yellow vest movement, which started in 2018 and took to the streets every year against the high cost of living, was also supported by high school students who have been protesting for a month to improve educational conditions, farmers protesting fuel prices and climate activists.
The French Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that protests will be held at 500 different points across the country.
On the other hand, the Paris Police Department banned protests at important points in the capital such as the Elysee Palace, the Prime Ministry building and the Champs-Elysees.
Despite the ban, shop owners on the famous Champs-Elysees Avenue blocked their shop windows with billboards and security forces were deployed along the street.
NTV's Kayhan Karaca said that there was chaos, especially in the capital Paris. Stating that many stores were looted, Karaca said, "There were world-famous stores among the stores looted in front of the cameras. Violence or excesses were expected, but no one expected looting and chaos." he said.
Karaca said that French President Macron gave the message that those who attack municipalities and workplaces will be caught and tried.
While French Interior Minister Nunez said that 550 thousand people participated in 110 marches across the country, organizers claim that there were more than 800 thousand. The French minister announced that 60 police officers were injured, two seriously, and 400 people were captured.
The historical tourist information center located in Bellecour Square, one of the landmarks of the city of Lyon, was destroyed and set on fire during the demonstrations. While the flames rising from the building caused panic in the surrounding area, the police intervened with tear gas against the groups who threw fireworks and various objects at the security forces.
It was reported that fire crews had difficulty intervening in the fire that broke out in the historical building, which was built by architect Tony Desjardins in 1852 and was used as a military station and police station in the past, due to the ongoing conflicts in the surrounding area.
Lyon Mayor Gregory Doucet condemned the setting of the historical building on fire, stating that public buildings are the common heritage of the city's residents and such attacks are unacceptable.
As the demonstrators in Bordeaux entered the Chamber of Commerce and Industry building, tension broke out between the security forces and the protesters. In Rennes, transportation was disrupted on some roads due to barricades set on fire by demonstrators.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that 272 people were detained throughout the country during the demonstrations. The final balance sheet regarding the total number of people participating in the protests has not yet been clarified.
195 DETAINED IN PARIS, 13 OF WHICH ARE CHILDREN
While demonstrators were blocking the roads by removing paving stones in the capital Paris, vehicles and garbage containers were set on fire, foreign exchange offices and stores were looted. 195 people, including 13 children, were detained in Paris as part of the events in which the police intervened with tear gas against the demonstrators.
The Paris Prosecutor's Office stated that the detentions were made in all districts of the capital and that people were detained on charges of participating in a group that mainly aims to cause violence or damage to property, possession of weapons and explosives, hiding their face and committing acts of violence.
In his statement before the demonstrations, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the right to protest should be respected and said, "The right to demonstrate is fully respected, but this right must also bring with it respect for persons and property."
The Ministry of Internal Affairs condemned the attacks on public buildings, workplaces and security forces. The Ministry held far-left groups responsible for the violent incidents in some cities.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu also warned that violence was increasing in the protests that have been going on for weeks, and announced that more than 900 police officers and gendarmes were injured in previous protests.
