Paris: Massive protests erupted across France on Saturday as an estimated 4.10 lakh people took to the streets to demonstrate against soaring inflation and proposed cuts to school budgets. The massive mobilization quickly escalated into severe clashes between protesters and law enforcement, resulting in the arrest of nearly 1,000 individuals nationwide and mounting immense pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
According to the Interior Ministry, the capital city of Paris alone witnessed a massive turnout of over 1.10 lakh demonstrators. To maintain law and order, authorities deployed around 70,000 security personnel across the country. Police resorted to using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the unruly crowds in Paris. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that security forces faced extraordinary levels of violence, attributing the aggressive clashes to extreme-left fringe groups dressed in black who intentionally sought to disrupt the demonstrations.
The unrest comes just a week after several French cities experienced severe incidents of violence, vandalism, and looting. In response to the escalating situation, the government has instructed the police to keep protesters away from major commercial districts and city centers. Temporary curfews have also been imposed in specific areas of Paris and other affected cities to prevent further violence. According to news agency AFP, President Macron has directed authorities to ban any protests that are not officially affiliated with recognized trade unions, declaring such unauthorized gatherings strictly illegal.
The ongoing unrest poses a massive political challenge for the Macron administration, especially with the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for May 2027. Despite the heavy police crackdowns, student organizations and labor unions remain defiant, vowing to continue their agitation. The unions are demanding that the government reverse its proposed budget cuts and allocate significantly more funding toward essential public services, particularly the education sector.