In the fourth week of the Yellow Vests and students protests in France, a decrease in the number of protesters was observed compared to predictions. The French Ministry of the Interior announced that 146,000 people participated in this round of protests across the country, while it was expected that up to 170,000 people would take part in these gatherings. Of this number, about 46,000 people took to the streets in Paris, and while the afternoon was generally calm, limited clashes were reported at night, including the use of tear gas.
Tensions and Clashes in Various Cities
Protest organizers announced the number of protesters to be over 250,000, although this was still less than the 320,000 to 500,000 from the previous week. Clashes between police and protesters were reported in the cities of Toulouse, Marseille, Lyon, and Bordeaux. Students and labor unions held an authorized march in Paris under the title "Combating High Costs and Supporting Youth."
In Paris, this authorized march was held from Place de la République to Place de la Nation, but tensions arose when police reported that about 200 "violent individuals" attacked law enforcement. This incident occurred after the arrest of a man for setting a trash can on fire.
Heavy Police Presence and Government Response
Yellow Vests protesters held a banned event in Place de la Concorde in Paris, which is near the Parliament and the Élysée Palace. Two key figures of this movement, Benjamin Ball and Solène Azelma Sigax, were arrested and taken to custody. Before the protests on Saturday, Laurent Nuñez, the French Minister of the Interior, announced that 70,000 police and security forces would be deployed across the country to maintain order and security and to confront "vandals and looters."
The Ministry of the Interior reported at the end of Saturday that about 350 people had been arrested in connection with these protests across the country. This heavy police presence follows weeks of widespread protests that have, in some cases, turned extremely violent, especially on October 17, when the worst unrest in recent years in France resulted in damages exceeding one billion euros to public and private property.
On Thursday, police arrested over 600 people during a nationwide strike that included blockades and other protest actions. Officials have stated that overall, the protests have remained largely calm, but they continue to witness a significant number of violent clashes with the police. The Macron government and its cabinet are trying to manage public discontent stemming from rising living costs.
Although Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is scheduled to meet with labor and employee unions on Monday, organizers say that the only thing that can calm the anger is a positive response from the government to their demands.
A statement from the inter-union coalition released on Friday states: "The only thing that can end these protests is a response to the demands that have been raised for several weeks by workers, employees, youth, and retirees." The Macron government has announced plans to increase the minimum wage and also to boost funding for schools and educational staff. However, this government faces severe financial challenges, as the country's debt, currently at 119% of GDP, continues to rise.
