France's interior ministry said on Oct. 17 that more than 400 people had been arrested during large demonstrations across the country. A movement that began with high school students merged with anger over living costs and fuel prices, and some cities saw arson and looting.
Liberty Times and Korean outlets, citing AP, reported that the CGT union said rallies were held at about 1,750 locations and drew 500,000 people. That is the union's own estimate; the government's turnout figure for Oct. 17 was not confirmed in the reports reviewed. The interior ministry had earlier counted a figure in the 260,000 range for the Oct. 6 rally.
광고 문의 · 300×250The protests began in late September when students blockaded schools over dilapidated buildings and teacher shortages, and have run for more than three weeks. Grievances over rising living costs and fuel prices then joined in, and some participants wore yellow vests, recalling the 2018 movement that grew out of a fuel tax increase. AP said former yellow vest figures and far-left politician Jean-Luc Melenchon also appeared at the rallies.
In Paris the march began peacefully with singing, but at Place de la Republique masked protesters threw firecrackers and police responded with tear gas and water cannon. Cars were burned and shops looted in parts of the city. About 100 of the arrests were in Paris, including about 20 people accused of attacking two media outlets, among them the conservative broadcaster CNews.
Damage was also reported in other cities. In Marseille, shops and a police station were damaged and protesters briefly entered City Hall; in Lyon a tourist office was set on fire, and in Limoges City Hall was burned. The interior ministry also reported looting attempts, attacks on police and arson of street fixtures in Toulouse, Grenoble and Angers.
The government stressed a firm response. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu praised police for confronting what he called extremely violent acts and asked the public to back them, while President Emmanuel Macron, who had urged peaceful protest the day before, said violence has no place in France and promised strict punishment for vandalism and looting. Marine Le Pen of the National Rally blamed far-left groups for undermining the protests' legitimate aims. Commentators said the movement could regain momentum before next April's presidential election. Earlier reports of students injured by police crowd-control weapons, and the criticism that followed, are cited as part of the backdrop.
