320,000 Protest in France on Living Costs

The French government estimated that 320,000 people protested nationwide on Saturday, continuing a three-week streak of demonstrations against high living costs and education policy. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that authorities deployed approximately 70,000 police and gendarmes to manage the crowds. This turnout marked a decline from previous weekends, with the October 24 protest drawing 410,000 and the October 17 event attracting over 500,000 participants.

In Paris, police rerouted the main march to the Boulevards des Maréchaux to keep demonstrators away from central government buildings and tourist sites. A final court decision forced this change, moving the protest outside the city center. Nuñez warned reporters that the risk of disorder was very high, particularly after dark on Halloween. The Interior Ministry stated that 70,000 people joined the Paris demonstration, which remained largely peaceful for several hours before tensions rose near Porte de Charenton.

Clashes erupted as the march ended, with protesters throwing glass bottles and fireworks at police lines. Officers responded with stun grenades and tear gas, filling the air with smoke as dusk settled. Many peaceful marchers retreated into the nearby Bois de Vincennes park, coughing from the gas. Authorities recorded about 300 arrests nationwide by the end of the day, a decrease from the 800 arrests logged at a similar point during the previous week's protests.

The movement began last month with high school students demanding better facilities and fairer university admissions. Corentin Cabreux, a 21-year-old student, described living in a state-run residence where damp stains covered the walls and rodents infested the rooms. Labor unions and climate activists joined the students, carrying banners for their own specific grievances. Macron stated that keeping marches out of city centers would protect local shops, while police barred entry to Place de la Republique and Les Halles from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Similar youth-led protests occurred in Germany, where the initiative known as Gen Z regelt rallied in more than 30 cities. Organizers said tens of thousands participated, though official numbers were not immediately available. In Berlin, students gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to demand investment in education and housing. High school student Lara Breitenbach stated that the current generation would live with the consequences of political decisions the longest. In Cologne and Hamburg, police used water cannons to disperse groups that threw stones and pyrotechnics.

In Lisbon, thousands of families with small children marched peacefully through downtown to protest the housing crisis. Demonstrators held signs reading Houses or Fire and carried small cardboard houses. In The Hague, the Netherlands, police maintained a strong presence in shopping districts but reported no major disturbances by midafternoon. Local media noted that police checked the identities of groups of young people, while many stores boarded up their windows as a precautionary measure.