A total of 320,000 people participated in the third wave of nationwide protests against the rising cost of living in France, Le Figaro reports, citing the French Interior Ministry.
According to the ministry, 70,000 people participated in the demonstrations held in Paris alone on October 31. Meanwhile, an alliance of youth trade unions claimed that 500,000 demonstrators took part in protests across the country.
For comparison, authorities recorded 410,000 participants in the protests on October 24 and 550,000 on October 17. Organizers claimed that 800,000 people had participated in the latter demonstration.
By 6:00 p.m. local time on October 31, 296 people had been detained for participating in riots.
The Interior Ministry said that previously authorized marches had generally taken place without incidents. However, radical groups attempted to enter city centers and provoke riots and looting in Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rennes, Lille, Nantes, Marseille and Lyon.
The most tense situations were reported in Nantes and Marseille. In Nantes, police used water cannons and tear gas against protesters. According to trade unions, 15,000 people participated in demonstrations in the city.
In Marseille, 10,000 people took part in the protests at their peak. Clashes between demonstrators and police began after 4:00 p.m.
According to official figures, 19,000 people participated in protests in Lyon, 11,000 in Bordeaux and 4,200 in Nice.
More than 40 metro stations were closed in Paris as part of security measures. A total of 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed across the country to maintain public order.
The Council of State overturned a court ruling authorizing a march in the capital from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation. Instead, an alternative route passing through the outskirts of the city was approved for demonstrators.
Curfews were imposed on minors appearing on the streets without adult supervision in several cities, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Bordeaux.
Student organizations called for blocking the operation of high schools and universities on Tuesday and Thursday, as well as holding another mass demonstration on November 5 at the call of trade unions.
Meanwhile, on October 28, the French Senate passed a bill introducing collective financial liability for property damage caused during riots. The legislation was supported by 229 senators, while 105 voted against it.
Under the bill, individuals who knowingly participate in groups formed with the intention of committing violence and damaging property, or who remain at the scene of riots despite police orders to leave the area, may be required to compensate for the damage. This may also apply to individuals who did not directly cause the damage.
The maximum amount that can be collected from one person has been set at 10,000 euros.
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