French Protests Turn Violent: 422 Arrests, Tear Gas in Lyon
(MENAFN) Tear gas, thrown paving stones and an explosive device marked a day of nationwide demonstrations across France on Saturday, as clashes between protesters and police erupted in multiple cities. Early tallies from local media put turnout at around 15,000 people across 65 actions.
In Lyon, police fired tear gas after some demonstrators broke from the authorized route and pushed toward the city center near Place Jean Mace, a French broadcaster reported. The local prefecture later counted 19,000 marchers and said one person suffered a minor leg injury while six were arrested.
Grenoble, in the southeast, saw similar scenes. Police used tear gas after tensions flared near Place Gustave Rivet, where the march was split in two. The Isere prefecture said 7,300 people took part and that a group of 200 people it described as “black bloc” had briefly divided the march and hurled projectiles at officers.
In the port city of Marseille, violence broke out at the head of an unauthorized march, where protesters threw paving stones at riot police blocking Boulevard Chave. Officers charged the crowd, but the march pressed on toward Saint-Charles train station. The local prefecture estimated attendance at up to 10,000 and said tensions rose around 4 pm (1500GMT), when projectiles were thrown at police.
Scuffles were also reported in Toulouse, Rennes, and Nantes.
The Paris march, which began at Porte de Bagnolet, reached Porte de Charenton, the end of the authorized route, without incident. Clashes erupted once the demonstration wound down in the 12th arrondissement. An explosive device struck a police officer, and the Interior Ministry said 200 to 300 “rioters” confronted law enforcement.
Despite the unrest in numerous cities, the Interior Ministry characterized the situation nationwide in mid-afternoon as “generally calm, with no notable incidents.”
Turnout fell below that of earlier mobilization days, the ministry said, with 37,000 participants in 108 actions on Oct. 24 and 67,000 in 198 actions on Oct. 17.
Ministry figures at 5 pm (1600 GMT) showed 320,000 people demonstrating nationwide, including 70,000 in Paris. The youth trade union alliance put national turnout at nearly 500,000, with 200,000 in the capital. The gap was just as wide in Bordeaux, where police counted 11,000 demonstrators and unions estimated 70,000.
Arrests mounted through the evening. The ministry reported 296 detentions nationwide by 6 pm (1700GMT), and the Paris police prefecture said 61 people had been detained in the capital by 6.45 pm (1745GMT). Interior Minister Laurent Nunez later announced that 422 people had been arrested across the country.
In its 6 pm (1700GMT) update, the ministry said groups of “radical elements” had tried to enter city centers in several cities to cause damage and loot, adding that clashes were ongoing. It also said the number of arrests had fallen sharply from the 217 recorded at the same time on Oct. 24.
Saturday was France’s third day of social mobilization in three weeks, and authorities had flagged it as “high risk” ahead of Halloween on Oct. 31. The ministry said security arrangements remained adapted to the situation and warned that police would show “the greatest firmness” toward anyone responsible for violence or damage.
Curfews were imposed in parts of Paris, Lyon and Grenoble, along with several towns in northern France. In Tours, an administrative court overturned a planned curfew but upheld a ban on demonstrations.
In Lyon, police fired tear gas after some demonstrators broke from the authorized route and pushed toward the city center near Place Jean Mace, a French broadcaster reported. The local prefecture later counted 19,000 marchers and said one person suffered a minor leg injury while six were arrested.
Grenoble, in the southeast, saw similar scenes. Police used tear gas after tensions flared near Place Gustave Rivet, where the march was split in two. The Isere prefecture said 7,300 people took part and that a group of 200 people it described as “black bloc” had briefly divided the march and hurled projectiles at officers.
In the port city of Marseille, violence broke out at the head of an unauthorized march, where protesters threw paving stones at riot police blocking Boulevard Chave. Officers charged the crowd, but the march pressed on toward Saint-Charles train station. The local prefecture estimated attendance at up to 10,000 and said tensions rose around 4 pm (1500GMT), when projectiles were thrown at police.
Scuffles were also reported in Toulouse, Rennes, and Nantes.
The Paris march, which began at Porte de Bagnolet, reached Porte de Charenton, the end of the authorized route, without incident. Clashes erupted once the demonstration wound down in the 12th arrondissement. An explosive device struck a police officer, and the Interior Ministry said 200 to 300 “rioters” confronted law enforcement.
Despite the unrest in numerous cities, the Interior Ministry characterized the situation nationwide in mid-afternoon as “generally calm, with no notable incidents.”
Turnout fell below that of earlier mobilization days, the ministry said, with 37,000 participants in 108 actions on Oct. 24 and 67,000 in 198 actions on Oct. 17.
Ministry figures at 5 pm (1600 GMT) showed 320,000 people demonstrating nationwide, including 70,000 in Paris. The youth trade union alliance put national turnout at nearly 500,000, with 200,000 in the capital. The gap was just as wide in Bordeaux, where police counted 11,000 demonstrators and unions estimated 70,000.
Arrests mounted through the evening. The ministry reported 296 detentions nationwide by 6 pm (1700GMT), and the Paris police prefecture said 61 people had been detained in the capital by 6.45 pm (1745GMT). Interior Minister Laurent Nunez later announced that 422 people had been arrested across the country.
In its 6 pm (1700GMT) update, the ministry said groups of “radical elements” had tried to enter city centers in several cities to cause damage and loot, adding that clashes were ongoing. It also said the number of arrests had fallen sharply from the 217 recorded at the same time on Oct. 24.
Saturday was France’s third day of social mobilization in three weeks, and authorities had flagged it as “high risk” ahead of Halloween on Oct. 31. The ministry said security arrangements remained adapted to the situation and warned that police would show “the greatest firmness” toward anyone responsible for violence or damage.
Curfews were imposed in parts of Paris, Lyon and Grenoble, along with several towns in northern France. In Tours, an administrative court overturned a planned curfew but upheld a ban on demonstrations.
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