Clashes erupt as protests spread across France

Protests spread across France as ‘yellow vest’ activists, students, workers, pensioners, climate activists and farmers mobilised against the cost of living. 

Clashes between demonstrators and police have been reported in multiple cities today (October 17), including in Paris and Marseille. 

Police used tear gas near Place de la République in Paris ahead of a major demonstration which began at 14:00, while in Marseille, several dozen demonstrators briefly entered the city’s mairie after forcing open its doors. Mairie furniture was destroyed and an anti-police tag was sprayed onto an interior wall.

At midday, 166 arrests had been made nationwide, according to the Interior Ministry. The Paris police prefecture reported 100 arrests in the capital by the same time.

In Marseille, windows were broken at a municipal police station on the Canebière and smoke devices were thrown inside. An attempted fire was stopped and no injuries were reported. Several shops were also vandalised or looted.

“It is unacceptable to use this type of demonstration to infiltrate, destroy, and undermine national unity,” Marseille mayor Benoît Payan said in an interview with BFM-TV.

In Rennes, burning barricades were placed on parts of the ring road and other routes, disrupting traffic. The local prefecture reported 17 arrests, including on suspicion of carrying weapons or obstructing traffic.

In Bordeaux, clashes broke out between masked demonstrators and police as thousands of people gathered for a march.

Police used tear gas and projectiles were thrown, according to AFP. Some demonstrators also entered the local chamber of commerce and industry.

In Lyon, a tourist office near Place Bellecour was vandalised and set on fire, while attempts to block roads and other sites took place in several cities, including Marseille, Nancy and Lille.

The Interior Ministry said some incidents involved masked groups using what it described as ‘black bloc’ tactics, including attacks on police and damage to public buildings and street furniture. 

“We will not back down in the face of vandals and those who have come to attack law enforcement,” the Paris police prefecture said on X.

More than 1,700 actions listed

The website organising the mobilisation listed 1,756 actions across France.

These include 811 demonstrations, actions at 196 roundabouts, 384 filling stations, 129 railway stations, 115 motorway toll barriers, 63 bridges, 15 ports, five refineries and 38 oil depots. The website also listed 215 planned public assemblies.

Currently, over 10,000 people have also signed the movement's online appeal.

Separately, the Interior Ministry reported 140 actions involving some 32,000 people outside the Paris region by midday. 

Officials expect between 60,000 and 110,000 people to take part in protests across France, France Télévisions reported.

The total number of participants is as yet unknown.

Why they are protests

The call for action initially focused on rising fuel prices but has since broadened to concerns about the cost of living and public services.

“We are fighting for everyone,” Corinne, who took part in the original Yellow Vest movement, told LCI, at a gathering in Rennes.

The CGT trade union has also supported the mobilisation.

“Buying tomatoes, courgettes or filling up your tank is becoming a luxury,” Sophie Binet, the union’s leader said, according to Le Monde. “There are millions of workers who cannot make ends meet.”

Students have joined the protests with their own demands, including calls for absent teachers to be replaced and criticism of Parcoursup, the platform used to manage applications to higher education. Other concerns include a lack of support staff for pupils with disabilities and school nurses.

The different groups are seeking to bring their grievances together under the banner of opposition to ‘la vie chère’ – the high cost of living.