The protests in France are attracting fewer people than last Saturday, but riots are breaking out again in several cities. New actions are coming up on Tuesday.
The central demonstration in Paris was largely peaceful. Photo: Emma Da Silva/AP/dpa
Paris. According to the Interior Ministry, 146,000 people demonstrated in France. According to the initiators of the protests, which include trade unions and student organizations, 250,000 people took part across the country. Last Saturday the number of participants was between 320,000 and half a million. According to the Interior Ministry, the meetings in large cities such as Toulouse, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux and Strasbourg were marked by riots and incidents. In Paris, the demonstration was calm, but tensions arose in the evening. Pictures showed clouds of tear gas and fires.
“As expected, the demonstrations were less accompanied by trade union organizations and many were not registered,” the Interior Ministry said. By 7 p.m. there had been 360 arrests across the country. In addition, almost 40,000 preventative checks were carried out, especially at train stations. The French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had previously announced a large police presence of 70,000 security forces, as well as armored vehicles and water cannons. He said he would take tough action against rioters and looters.
In Paris, after the end of the demonstration, a group of around 200 violent people attacked the security forces, according to the police prefecture. The reason was the arrest of a man who had set a garbage container on fire. According to the police prefecture, a total of 15 people were arrested and more than 5,800 were checked. 46,000 demonstrated in the metropolis.
According to the prefecture, isolated people also attacked security forces with projectiles in Bordeaux. There is an exit restriction for unaccompanied minors from 8 p.m. on Saturday evening to 7 a.m. on Sunday. According to media reports, people gathered in Lyon without officially registering and tear gas was used.
Yellow Vest rally banned in Paris - arrests
According to French media reports, two Yellow Vest coordinators were arrested in Paris. A rally by the movement at the central Place de la Concorde had previously not been allowed. Nevertheless, some people had gathered there after the yellow vests called for it.
However, the union demonstration in the capital was approved. On the central Republic Square in Paris, from where he started, people were playing music, singing and dancing at midday, as television images showed. They demonstrated for the fourth Saturday in a row against, among other things, the high cost of living and problems in the education system.
New protests over education announced
Further protests are to take place on Tuesday: Organizations of employees in the French education sector called for a nationwide day of strikes and demonstrations in the education system at universities and in research. In their view, the measures the government has so far proposed to address grievances, such as more staff, are not enough. Student organizations also want to continue to apply pressure. Young people are still determined and angry, said the general secretary of the UNEF student association, Manon Moret.
More blockades and protests took place this week, including a major day of strikes on Thursday in which, according to the Interior Ministry, more than half a million people took part. The CGT trade union federation spoke of almost 1.6 million participants.
In response to the mass protests, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu wants to meet on Monday for a social conference with employee and employer associations as well as for discussions with representatives of high school and university students.
