French police use tear gas on protesters in several cities
On Saturday, French police fired tear gas at demonstrators in Lyon, Lille, Toulouse and Nantes. The government had deployed 70,000 security officers for the nationwide protests.
Large protests took place across France on Saturday, 24 October, with Yellow Vests supporters, trade unions and students taking to the streets. Police fired tear gas at demonstrators in Lyon, Lille, Toulouse and Nantes. The Nantes rally was held to demand greater purchasing power and the protection of public services.
The tear gas was used only hours after Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned that violence would not be tolerated. About 70,000 security personnel were deployed nationwide to police the events.
Arrests and seized weapons
The government announced that weapons had already been seized and 135 people arrested. The minister had earlier said that calls for violence and looting were already circulating on social media.
What happened the day before
On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron convened a defence council of senior ministers and officials. He also met representatives of student unions, who called for further protests.
Authorities tightened restrictions and banned certain protests in some major cities, including Lyon and Marseille. The news agency reports do not give details on how many people took part in the demonstrations overall or whether anyone was injured.
