Hundreds of thousands of people rallied Thursday, November 5, across France, including in Paris, to demand higher wages and school funding in nationwide strikes and demonstrations, Le Monde reports.
The Interior Ministry estimated that 600,000 people participated, while labor unions claimed a figure of 1.6 million.
After more than a month of large, recurring protests across France, major rallies took place again in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and elsewhere, most of which were peaceful. The Interior Ministry said the figures were still provisional.
The demonstrations come as the eurozone's second largest economy battles to redress its finances, six months ahead of elections to replace centrist President Emmanuel Macron, with the far right leading in opinion polls.
The high school student movement that began with youths protesting over learning conditions has coincided with widespread anger over the rising cost of living and inequality, which culminated on October 17 in the worst rioting France has seen in years.
"The question today is not whether we're going to win" but rather "how much we're going to win," CGT union leader Sophie Binet said at the Paris rally. The unions are calling for across-the-board wage raises, tax reforms and better learning conditions for young people and have complained about police restrictions on certain protests.
While the marches were largely peaceful, skirmishes between protestors and police broke out in some cities, including Lyon where at least one vehicle was torched and tear gas was fired. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, popular among tourists, were closed for the day.
Dozens of high-schoolers protested in several cities, with the government reporting blockades at 81 out of the country's 3,700 high schools. A high school student association said classes had been suspended at 1,000 secondary schools.
Around 16% of teachers nationwide were on strike, the education ministry said. Public and private education unions have called for strike action, as well as unions representing rail workers, public hospitals and postal services.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced Wednesday that 70,000 police officers and security forces would be deployed across the country, promising "an extremely firm response" to any "acts of violence" or disorder. The protests have been largely peaceful, though some disintegrated into clashes with police, who have fired tear gas and water cannons.
An attempted murder investigation has been launched after petrol bombs were thrown at security forces in Paris on Saturday. The police response has been criticized as heavy-handed and internal police investigations have been launched over allegations of brutality.
Several teenage protesters have been seriously wounded and thousands arrested.
Similar protests have erupted in other European countries in recent weeks.
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