Turnout drops as 146,000 demonstrate in France on fourth weekend

Some 146,000 people demonstrated in France on Saturday in the fourth consecutive weekend of mass protests, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

The organizers of the protests, which include trade unions and students, put the nationwide turnout at 250,000. Last Saturday, the number of participants had ranged between 320,000 and half a million.

The gatherings in major cities such as Toulouse, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux and Strasbourg were marred by riots and incidents, the Ministry of the Interior said.

In Paris, the march proceeded peacefully, but tensions flared in the evening. Images showed clouds of tear gas and fires.

“As expected, the marches were less heavily organized by trade unions, and many had not been registered,” the Ministry of the Interior stated.

By 7 pm (1800 GMT), 360 arrests had been made nationwide. In addition, just under 40,000 preventive checks were carried out, particularly at railway stations.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had earlier announced another large police deployment of 70,000 security personnel, as well as armoured vehicles and water cannon. He stated that he would take a hard line against rioters and looters.

According to the police prefecture of Paris, a group of around 200 violent individuals attacked the security forces after the demonstration had ended in the French capital. The incident was reportedly triggered by the detention of a man who had set fire to a rubbish bin.

According to the police prefecture, a total of 15 people were detained and more than 5,800 were checked. Some 46,000 people reportedly took part in the demonstration in the capital.

In Bordeaux too, isolated individuals attacked security forces with projectiles according to the police prefecture. A curfew is in force there for unaccompanied minors from 8 pm on Saturday evening until 7 am on Sunday.

In Lyon, people gathered without official authorization, leading to the use of tear gas, according to media reports.

Detentions after Yellow Vest rally in Paris banned

According to French media reports, two Yellow Vest coordinators were detained in Paris. A rally by the movement at the central Place de la Concorde had not been authorized beforehand. Nevertheless, a number of people had gathered there after the Yellow Vests had called for a gathering.

The trade unions’ march in the capital, by contrast, was authorized.

Television footage showed people playing music, singing and dancing at midday on the Place de la République, from where the march set off. They were demonstrating for the fourth Saturday in a row against the high cost of living and problems in the education system.

New protests over the education system announced

Further protests are due to take place on Tuesday after organizations representing staff in the French education sector called for a nationwide day of strikes and demonstrations in higher education and research. In their view, the measures proposed so far by the government to address grievances – such as increasing staff numbers – are insufficient.

Student organizations also intend to keep up the pressure. Young people remain determined and angry, said Manon Moret, general secretary of the student union UNEF.

Further blockades and protests took place this week, including a major day of strike action on Thursday, in which more than half a million people took part, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The CGT trade union confederation put the figure at just under 1.6 million participants.

In response to the mass protests, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu plans to hold a social conference on Monday with workers’ and employers’ organizations, as well as talks with representatives of secondary school pupils and students.