Over 4 lakh protest across France, nearly 1,000 arrested as protesters clash with cops; pressure mounts on Macron government

Tensions flared in France on Saturday as 4,10,000 people took to the streets nationwide to protest inadequate school funding and rising living costs, mounting pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s administration. The large-scale demonstration ended in confrontations between protesters and police,A protester holds a French flag during a demonstration against rising living costs in Strasbourg, France, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. ((AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias))The march came just seven days after several French cities experienced widespread unrest involving riots and looting. According to the interior ministry, approximately 1,10,000 demonstrators gathered in Paris alone, reported AP.Nearly 1,000 arrestedNearly 1,000 arrests were made during the demonstrations, interior minister Laurent Nuñez announced, citing serious confrontations between police and groups of black-clad individuals he described as “ultra-left” extremists, reported AFP. He said law enforcement officers had encountered an exceptionally high level of violence during the protests. French authorities mobilised 70,000 security personnel nationwide to maintain public order.Protests come as challenge for MacronWith the presidential election scheduled for May 2027, the ongoing unrest has emerged as a significant challenge for Emmanuel Macron.ALSO READ: French President Emmanuel Macron rejects interior minister Nunez’s offer to resign after violent protestsIn response to the demonstrations, the government has instructed police to keep protesters away from city centres, particularly areas with large concentrations of shops and businesses. Authorities have also introduced limited curfews in selected urban districts of Paris and several other cities to contain the unrest.Additionally, Macron has directed authorities to prohibit non-union demonstrations, describing such protests as “illegitimate", reported AFP.Police use tear gas, water cannon to disperse protestersTear gas and water cannons were reportedly used by the police to disperse protesters in Paris as scores of people marched on Saturday.“The marches went off well,” Nuñez told reporters on Saturday evening, as quoted by Bloomberg. “We should be thankful that freedom of expression was able to be exercised, but regret that a number of individuals were out to do only one thing: cause the marches to degenerate,” he added.ALSO READ: Violent protests, town hall torched, looting and 1,800 arrests: What's happening in FranceUnion banners and protest signs targeting President Macron’s administration and the police were prominent throughout the demonstrations. Student organisations and labour unions have said that they would continue mobilising people until the government scraps its proposed budget measures and allocates additional funding to essential public services.(with inputs from agencies)