Hundreds of thousands of people marched in cities across France on Saturday in largely peaceful protests supporting schoolchildren’s demands for more teachers and repairs to dilapidated buildings, as Emmanuel Macron faces a social and political crisis in his final months as president. In Paris, at least 110,000 people marched along the eastern edge of the city, according to government estimates. They supported high schoolers but also complained about the high cost of living and heavy policing, saying riot police had been sent to target school protesters over the past month instead of the government offering political solutions. The mood in Paris on Saturday afternoon was peaceful and lighthearted, with brass bands playing and children and grandchildren present. Some people carried banners critical of the government’s policing, saying: “Oppression breeds rebellion” and “The right to protest.” But at the end of the Paris demonstration, at Porte de Vincennes on the city’s eastern edge, different groups of masked men dressed in black emerged who did not appear to have taken part in the peaceful march. Some groups of masked men threw glass bottles and stones at police, who responded with teargas, water cannon and stun grenades. A bin was set alight and fireworks were set off towards police. Riot police also charged a larger crowd of protesters at the end of the Paris march, using batons against them. Police fired teargas to prevent protesters in Lyon, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse from reaching city centres. In Marseille, some bin fires were lit amid clashes with police. At least two people were seriously injured, one in Clermont-Ferrand and another in Toulouse, who reportedly had fingers blown off. The government estimated that at least 400,000 people had marched across France. Trade unions estimated the number at double that. The interior ministry said there had been almost 1,000 arrests. Laurent Nuñez, the interior minister, said that at various street marches across France there were what he called “high-risk groups” who “broke away from the main body and sought to commit acts of violence.” More than 70,000 police were on the streets of French cities, with shops boarded up and many museums closed. The government had feared a repeat of last Saturday, when, despite peaceful protests taking place, France saw one of the most violent days of unrest in years, with public buildings burned, hundreds of shops destroyed and looted and at least 2,700 people arrested in cities across the country. At Saturday’s protests, there was widespread anger at Macron for banning non-union demonstrations that his government deemed “illegitimate” and for keeping all protesters away from city centres. At the Paris march, Nadège, a 43-year-old communications worker, said she had been teargassed last weekend at a peaceful demonstration. “I’m out again peacefully today to support everyone who is brave enough to demonstrate. It does take courage. People are afraid now. We have to keep our rights alive … In France, it’s our legal right to protest in the street and I’m here to defend that.” A 21-year-old student from a Paris science faculty that is now blockaded by demonstrators said: “We feel in France that we are increasingly living in an authoritarian regime that is trying to stop our democratic right to protest in the street.” The radical left presidential candidate, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who took part in the Paris rally, said Macron must “give in” and address France’s social malaise or face repeated protests. “Given the current situation, I think he will come to understand that this will happen again every week,” Mélenchon said.The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment. Enter your email. Sign up after newsletter promotion. The government has been in crisis since high school demonstrations began in mid-September, when students aged 15 to 18 started protesting against staff shortages at their schools, leaking and crumbling buildings, and a lack of chairs in overcrowded classrooms. It grew into the biggest youth movement in years, with trade unions, teachers and parents joining in. Police investigations are under way after some children and protesters were maimed and injured by explosive police weapons. At Saturday’s march, some people wore yellow vests and had taken part in the gilets jaunes anti-government protests of 2018 and 2019. Standing among the demonstrators, Jérôme Rodrigues, a key figure from the gilets jaunes protest, said: “Today the government is afraid; that is why they are pushing demonstrators to the edge of the city, away from places of power. Police shields won’t provide an answer to French people who are struggling and unable to make ends meet.” He said demonstrations were likely to continue. NFL shutters Paris fan experience as protests overshadow first France game. Read more. Pierre, 60, a retired banking consultant, said he was demonstrating in support of school students. “I have an eight-year-old granddaughter. I want her to have a brighter future than the sombre times we are facing today. The government completely refuses to listen to people’s demands.” Jesse, 40, a charity worker from the north of Paris, carried a sign saying “Free Hugs” and said: “I’m so angry. I’m here to support schoolchildren’s demands for better conditions. I’m so proud of them, and we have to stand together.” She said: “I know I’m not going to war by coming out to demonstrate peacefully. But at times it really does feel like a war … This is the first time I’ve prepared so carefully for a peaceful march, wearing old clothes in case they are gassed or torn.” In Orléans, thousands shouting anti-fascist slogans marched against a congress held by Marine Le Pen’s far-right anti-immigration National Rally party. Protesters criticised Le Pen, a frontrunner in next year’s presidential election, as well as Macron, who steps down from power next year. “Macron, resign. Le Pen in prison,” the crowd shouted.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Frances Mass Protests Over Schools and Policing
1 What happened in France
Hundreds of thousands of people took part in marches across the country to protest problems with schools and policing
2 Why are people protesting about schools
They say schools are underfunded and understaffed and that teachers are overworked and poorly paid
3 Why are people protesting about policing
They want better police accountability and an end to alleged heavyhanded tactics especially toward young people and minorities
4 Who organized the protests
Teacher unions student groups civil rights organizations and leftleaning political parties
5 Was the protest peaceful
Mostly yes A small number of clashes with police were reported in some cities
6 How many people joined
Organizers claim hundreds of thousands nationwide police estimates are usually lower Exact figures are disputed
7 Which cities were affected
Paris Marseille Lyon Toulouse and many other cities and towns across France
8 What do protesters want the government to do
More funding for schools higher teacher pay and independent oversight of police
9 How did the government respond
Officials acknowledged concerns and offered talks but protesters say the proposals fall short
10 What is police accountability
It means systems that hold officers responsible for misconductsuch as body cameras independent review boards and clear complaint processes
11 Why do these two issues get protested together
Both are seen as failures of the same public institutions and the groups involved often share the same supporters
12 What problems do teachers face in France
Large class sizes staff shortages low pay relative to other graduate jobs and growing administrative workload
13 What is a union and why does it matter here
A union is an organization that represents workers French unions called for these strikes and marches giving them their size and coordination
14 How do these protests compare to past French protests
France has a long tradition of large street protests This movement follows recent unrest over pension reform and policing
15 What practical advice applies if protests are happening where you are
Avoid march routes expect transport delays keep up with local news and follow police instructions
16 What should I watch for next
Whether unions call further strikes whether
