In brief
Over 140,000 people took to the streets in France on Saturday, marking a fourth consecutive weekend of demonstrations against the rising cost of living. Police deployed tear gas in Paris and Lyon while about 70,000 security personnel were mobilised across the country by Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. The protests, driven by students and workers, come ahead of the April presidential election and reflect growing tensions between far‑right and far‑left parties.
Over 140,000 people marched across France on Saturday, marking a fourth consecutive weekend of protests against the rising cost of living, Al Jazeera reported. The demonstrations saw about 46,000 participants in Paris and an estimated 75,000 in the capital according to the Interior Ministry, while union organisers said 250,000 people joined nationwide.
Sixty‑seven thousand security staff were deployed across the country, and Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned authorities would be "ready and waiting" for rioters or looters. In Paris, police used tear gas to disperse crowds and a police officer was seen striking a protester with a baton, footage posted online by the CLPRESS news agency. An AFP report added that around 200 individuals attacked officers as they were arresting a man who had set fire to a rubbish bin in a Paris square.
In Lyon, police fired tear gas to break up several hundred protesters who were blocking a road during an unauthorised gathering in the city centre. The incidents came amid rising tension between far‑right and far‑left candidates ahead of the newly announced April presidential election.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent Natacha Butler, reporting from the capital, said she spoke to a railway worker who said it was "really important to be here today" not only to protest against the cost of living but also to support young people. She noted that many workers felt it was their time to press the government for higher wages and better facilities, adding that the movement remains led by students but includes people of all ages.
The protests began in September over poor conditions and a lack of resources at French high schools. They have since expanded to include a range of grievances linked to worsening living standards, with supporters demanding government action on rising prices, wages and public services.
