Protests over cost of living resume in France as 110,000 march in Paris
A new wave of protests against the rising cost of living is under way in France on Saturday, with police estimating 110,000 marchers in Paris. Nationwide, 135 people have been detained, and clashes with police have broken out in several cities.
Protests against the high cost of living resumed in France on Saturday. In the capital, Paris, police estimate that 110,000 people are taking part in a march. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 135 people have been detained across the country so far and various weapons seized. The protests matter because they involve both trade unions and the Yellow Vests movement, whose earlier actions significantly shook the position of President Emmanuel Macron.
Detentions and seized weapons
The minister said police confiscated metal balls, lead shot, firecrackers, slingshots, airsoft guns and a samurai sword. No serious incidents had occurred so far, he said, but the figures are preliminary and may change during the day. In Paris, police stopped and searched more than 3,000 people, of whom 65 were detained.
Route change in Paris
Paris police changed the route of the union-organised march at the last minute, moving its starting point from Place de la Bastille in the city centre to Porte d'Italie on the southern edge of the city. The unions agreed reluctantly, but the Yellow Vests refused to comply with the order. The movement has called for violent protests on 31 October. Police watched closely to make sure demonstrators did not cross the Boulevard périphérique, Paris's ring road, towards the centre.
Clashes in other cities
In Lyon, where all demonstrations are banned, police used tear gas to disperse about 1,000 protesters. In Nantes, several thousand demonstrators broke through police lines to reach the city centre; police used tear gas and water cannon, while protesters threw objects and bottles at officers. Clashes also occurred in Lille, Toulouse and Montpellier.
In Orléans, several thousand people took to the streets against the congress of the national-conservative National Rally (RN). They protested against RN presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and against Macron, chanting "Macron, resign, Le Pen to prison!" Fearing unrest, the Louvre, Orsay and Picasso museums and the Grand Palais in Paris were closed on Saturday.
