After largely peaceful marches on Saturday, clashes between protesters and police broke out across France in the evening, extending a cycle of social unrest that has gripped the country since last month. Unlike a week ago, however, the demonstrations did not devolve into the arson, looting and violence seen on October 17, when marauding bands smashed windows, pillaged stores and set fire to vehicles and public buildings in Paris, Marseille and other cities.
The rallies, organized by a French labor union, were peaceful for most of the day despite their size. France's interior ministry estimated that 410,000 people joined marches across the country, while the C.G.T. union claimed a turnout of 800,000. As night fell and police began dispersing demonstrators, clashes broke out in some cities. Protesters hurled fireworks, and police responded with volleys of tear gas and torrents from water-cannon trucks.
In Paris, officials blamed the skirmishes on a renegade group of roughly 500 rioters. A large-scale police presence, 1,000 arrests and the rerouting of protest routes kept a lid on wholesale vandalism, a result that the French authorities could count as a modest victory after being on the defensive since October 17.
Images from the day showed demonstrators rallying in Paris and in Orléans, where protests continued amid the wider wave of demonstrations.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing