On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people gathered across France to protest deep-rooted issues within the education system and concerning the spiraling cost of living. The protests proceeded under the motto “On en a marre” (We are fed up).
According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, the demonstration count reached 550,000, of which 110,000 were in Paris. However, the organizers of the day described the turnout as being closer to 800,000 participants. The city streets remained packed even into the evening, notably in locations like Bordeaux.
The initial days of the protest mobilization began with students and university scholars, who demonstrated to demand more teachers, smaller class sizes, improved school conditions, and fairer allocation of university places. This Saturday saw the addition of the “Yellow Vest” movement participants and support from various trade unions. Given the ongoing budgetary negotiations, high costs of living, particularly fuel prices, became central themes of the demonstrations.
Violence broke out in several cities, including Lille, Marseille, and Lyon. In Paris, cars were set on fire and shop windows were smashed. Meanwhile, the town hall in Limoges was burned down, and stores were looted in Nice. French President Emmanuel Macron responded by announcing that he would take action “together against the instigators of unrest who are only trying to destroy our institutions and prevent those who peacefully voice their demands.”
Prior to the events, the police had stated they planned a firm crackdown on outbreaks of violence. Nationally, Nunez reported that around 400 people were arrested, and tear gas was used in Paris. The trade union confederation CGT criticized the deployment of what they called “repression,” arguing it was an attempt to curb participation in the demonstrations, and called for the continuation of peaceful mobilization led by young people.
