French police fire tear gas at protesters during nationwide demonstrations over cost of living

Security measures and arrests

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that authorities mobilised 70,000 officers to counter a high threat of violence. Police fired tear gas in Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, Montpellier, Nantes, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, and Nice to disperse crowds blocking roads or refusing orders. By early afternoon, officials reported close to 1,000 arrests nationwide as the day progressed.

Crowd size and locations

The French Interior Ministry counted 410,000 participants across the country, a drop from last weekend's figures. In Paris, at least 110,000 people marched peacefully along the eastern edge of the city before clashes occurred near Porte de Vincennes. Major museums including the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay remained closed while many retailers boarded up their windows.

Context of unrest

Protesters gathered to denounce rising inequality and accuse President Emmanuel Macron of cutting public services. Some demonstrations originated from high school students protesting poor conditions and a lack of resources in schools. Authorities warned that calls for violence were circulating on social media ahead of the marches.