In brief
On Saturday, more than 140,000 people marched across France in protest against the rising cost of living. Police used tear gas in Paris and Lyon and about 70,000 security personnel were deployed, with Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warning authorities would be ready for rioting and looting. The protests come amid escalating political tensions ahead of the April presidential election.
On Saturday, a wave of protests swept across France, drawing between 140,000 and 250,000 demonstrators to march in cities from Paris to Lyon in a campaign against the country's escalating cost of living.
The Interior Ministry counted 146,000 protesters nationwide, with 46,000 in Paris, while unions put the national figure at about 250,000 and reported 75,000 in the capital. The numbers vary, but all estimates confirm large crowds in the major cities.
In the capital, riot police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd. Footage posted by the CLPRESS news agency shows officers charging at protesters and using tear gas in an attempt to break the gathering. A police officer can also be seen striking a protester with a baton. According to AFP, a group of 200 individuals attacked officers while a man set fire to a rubbish bin in a Paris square.
In Lyon, police similarly fired tear gas to break up an unauthorised demonstration that had blocked a road in the city centre, according to the AFP report. The incident prompted a clash between police and several hundred demonstrators.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned that authorities would be "ready and waiting" for anyone who engaged in rioting or looting. “We have mobilised around 70,000 security personnel across the country, and we are prepared for potential disturbances,” he said, according to the Ministry’s statement.
"I spoke to one railway worker who told me it was really important to be here today," Natacha Butler reported for Al Jazeera. "He said not only was it important to protest against the cost of living, but that it was also important to support young people," she continued.
The protests began in September over deteriorating conditions in French high schools and have since broadened to challenge a perceived erosion of living standards. They come against the backdrop of an upcoming presidential election in April, creating a politically charged atmosphere that augments the risk of clashes.
