WorldPosted at: Oct 17 2026 6:33PM


France protests: 166 arrested as police clash with demonstrators nationwide

Paris, Oct 17 (UNI) French police have arrested 166 people nationwide during protests over the cost of living, rising fuel prices and public services, as officers deployed tear gas to disperse crowds in Paris and other cities, authorities said on Saturday.
The French Interior Ministry said 140 separate protest actions involving nearly 33,000 people had been recorded across the country. More than 100 people had earlier been detained in the Paris region, according to local media reports.
Police fired tear gas at Place de la République in Paris ahead of a planned march, with officers charging into crowds as some protesters directed fireworks towards police lines. Clashes were also reported in Lyon, Marseille and Rennes.
In Marseille, France's second-largest city, masked protesters broke into the town hall after using security barriers to force open a door, according to media reports. One demonstrator spray-painted an anarchist symbol on a wall before police intervened, Euro news reported.
The protests brought together students, trade unions, farmers and supporters of the Yellow Vest movement, which emerged in 2018 over fuel taxes and economic inequality.
Students have demanded improvements to school facilities, more teachers and greater investment in education, while other demonstrators have called for higher wages, lower living costs and better public services.
The protests began last month at schools in the northern suburbs of Paris, where anger over teacher shortages and poor facilities developed into a broader movement against inequality and public spending cuts.
The CGT, one of France's largest labour unions, backed the demonstrations, calling for “higher wages and pensions”, as per local media reports .
Protesters wearing high-visibility yellow vests blocked roads in several locations, reviving imagery associated with the unrest that challenged President Emmanuel Macron's government during his previous term, as per CNN reports
Macron, who is approaching the final stretch of his presidency, called for restraint and respect for people and property ahead of the demonstrations.
“There is a constitutional right to protest and to express oneself, and I have always been vigilant and attentive that that right is fully respected,” he said.
Macron described as “unacceptable” the presence of people whose aim was “solely to cause damage and create unrest”.
The Paris police department said on X that officers would not retreat in the face of rioters and people attacking law enforcement. It accused “hostile individuals” of targeting police, saying officers were responding “with courage and professionalism”.
The Interior Ministry attributed the unrest to what it described as “a very strong mobilisation of far-left elements, whose sole intent is to incite disorder”.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump joked about joining the protests, saying: “Let’s go to France and join the revolution and spend our $5000 there.”
The demonstrations come amid mounting concerns over the cost of living, fuel prices and access to public services, with organisers seeking to broaden the movement beyond its initial focus on education.
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