French protesters took to the streets / 61 people were detained in Paris

Tens of thousands of people are taking part on Saturday, October 17, in demonstrations across France against the rising cost of living, social inequalities and the deterioration of public services. Authorities estimate between 90,000 and 170,000 participants nationwide, while around 500 actions and more than 90 demonstrations have been announced across the country.

In Paris, where up to 60,000 protesters are expected, 61 people had been detained by 11:00 a.m. local time, and nearly 600 checks had been carried out. Two unauthorized marches were dispersed. In Marseille, demonstrators temporarily blocked a boulevard and smashed the windows of a municipal police station, while in Lyon, law enforcement used tear gas to disperse a group of around 300 people.

The protests began last month in high schools in Paris’s poor suburbs, amid a shortage of teachers and precarious conditions in schools. The movement quickly expanded, bringing together pupils, students, trade unions and members of the “Yellow Vests.”

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu warned of the risk of further violence after more than 900 police officers had been injured since the protests began. President Emmanuel Macron called for calm, while authorities banned demonstrations in several strategic areas of the capital.