70,000 Police Guard 400,000 Protesters in French City Centers

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in France on Saturday to demand better school infrastructure and more teachers, marking a major escalation in the social unrest gripping the country. The government estimated that 400,000 demonstrators participated in the nationwide marches, while trade union representatives claimed the number reached 800,000.

In Paris, authorities counted at least 110,000 marchers along the eastern edge of the capital. The crowd included high school students, parents, and grandparents, many of whom carried banners criticizing the government's approach to policing. Banners read "Oppression breeds rebellion" and "The right to protest." Brass bands played music as families walked through the streets, creating a festive atmosphere for much of the afternoon.

The peaceful mood shifted at the end of the route at Porte de Vincennes. Groups of masked men dressed in black, who had not joined the main procession, threw glass bottles and stones at police officers. Law enforcement responded with teargas, water cannons, and stun grenades. A trash bin was set on fire, and fireworks were launched toward the officers.

Similar clashes occurred in other major cities. Teargas was fired in Lyon, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes, and Toulouse to prevent protesters from reaching city centers. In Marseille, bin fires were lit during confrontations. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that 135 people were arrested across France. Police confiscated various weapons, including metal balls, lead pellets, slingshots, steel balls, a katana sword, and airsoft guns.

The government deployed more than 70,000 police officers for the event. Many shops boarded up their windows, and several museums closed their doors. Officials cited the previous Saturday's events as a reason for the heavy security presence. That week saw one of the most violent days of unrest in years, with public buildings burned, hundreds of shops looted, and at least 2,700 arrests.

Demonstrators expressed frustration with President Emmanuel Macron's administration. Critics pointed to the ban on non-union demonstrations deemed "illegitimate" and the strategy of keeping protesters away from central areas. Nadège, a 43-year-old communications worker who was teargassed the previous weekend, stated she returned to defend the legal right to protest. "It does take courage. People are afraid now," she said.

A 21-year-old student from a Paris science faculty described the current situation as increasingly authoritarian. The crisis originated in mid-September when students aged 15 to 18 began protesting staff shortages, crumbling buildings, and overcrowded classrooms. The movement has since expanded to include teachers, parents, and trade unions. Police investigations are currently underway into injuries sustained by children and protesters from explosive police weaponry.

Jérôme Rodrigues, a leader from the 2018 gilets jaunes movement, attended the march wearing a yellow vest. He noted that the government's fear is evident in its tactics to push demonstrators to the city's edges. He predicted that demonstrations would continue every weekend. In Orléans, thousands of protesters marched against a congress of Marine Le Pen's National Rally party, chanting slogans demanding Macron's resignation.