Protests in France Over High Cost of Living and School Conditions Lead to Nearly 1,000 Arrests

In France, large-scale demonstrations resumed on Saturday to protest the high cost of living and the deteriorating conditions in schools. According to officials, the protests drew between 410,000 and 800,000 participants. Approximately 1,000 people were arrested during the demonstrations, and around 70,000 police officers were deployed to maintain order.

Unlike last week, widespread violence and looting were prevented, with hundreds involved in vandalism, arson, and plundering having been imprisoned. Some clashes occurred between protesters and police in certain areas on Saturday night; however, security forces managed to avert the large-scale violence witnessed at the end of the previous week.

The French Ministry of the Interior reported that about 410,000 people took to the streets on Saturday. Trade unions, meanwhile, claimed that the number of demonstrators was closer to 800,000. To ensure peaceful demonstrations, roughly 70,000 police officers were mobilized.

Strict restrictions were imposed in numerous cities to prevent the protests against the high cost of living and school conditions from turning violent. Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron issued an order allowing only protests organized by officially recognized trade unions to take place.