400 Arrested as France's School Revolt Turns Into a Fight Over Bills
Protesters briefly entered Marseille's town hall and police fired tear gas in Paris as demonstrations spread across France. The government blamed the "ultra-left" for violence as demands broadened to wages, prices and public services.
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by Sami Haddad
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About 400 people were arrested across France by Saturday evening as protests over schools widened into demonstrations over living costs and public services, bringing clashes and fires.
In Marseille, protesters used street barriers to ram the town hall door, briefly entered the building and spray-painted an "A" for anarchy on a wall before police removed them. In Paris, police fired tear gas as masked, black-clad protesters threw fireworks and paving stones.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said most of those arrested were adults who were not part of the high-school protests. "I very strongly condemn the violence we have seen," he said, while ruling out plans to declare a state of emergency.
The demonstrations on October 17 mark a widening of the movement. The Daily Inference reported on October 8 that police had used tear gas and water cannon as students demanded better schools and challenged the treatment of young protesters. The government had promised 3,000 supply teachers.
Now the demands reach beyond classrooms. School protesters have been joined by people angry about high prices and what they see as a deteriorating social welfare system. Calls have circulated to revive the Yellow Vest movement, which emerged in 2018, while the CGT trade union has backed the protests.
