Thousands of striking workers protested across France on Thursday against the rising cost of living in a new escalation following weeks of demonstrations, with police firing tear gas as violence and vandalism broke out in some cities.
More than 270,000 people had already taken to the streets across the country, the interior ministry reported, before a major march kicked off in Paris from 2:00 pm (1300 GMT).
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.
Winegrower Martin Thiberge said he wanted to take part in demonstrations that were drawing together people from across French society.
“We want to make a living from our work, to make a dignified wage,” he said at the Lyon protest.
In Marseille, 31-year-old social worker Lea told AFP that she was “fed up with counting every cent”.
“This social movement has given us hope,” she added.
In Paris, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, popular among tourists, were closed for the day.
– School blockades –
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 percent of teachers nationwide were on strike, the education ministry said.
In Paris, police used tear gas to try to prevent students from blocking access to the Helene-Boucher high school in the city’s east, an AFP reporter said.
Public and private education unions have called for strike action, as well as unions representing rail workers, public hospitals and postal services.
At the capital’s Montparnasse train station, a psychologist who gave her name as Jeanne said her trip had been delayed.
“It’s tedious to get up early, wait, and then see your train cancelled, but it’s understandable there’s a strike,” she said.
– Police violence alleged –
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez 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 cannon.
An attempted murder investigation has been launched after petrol bombs were thrown at security forces in Paris on Saturday.
The police response has been criticised 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.