Hundreds of thousands of mostly young protesters took to the streets across France on Saturday, marking the third consecutive weekend of demonstrations focused on education and the rising cost of living. Government officials estimated a nationwide turnout of 320,000 people. While this figure is lower than the 410,000 estimated on October 24 and the 500,000 recorded during the October 17 protests, which saw some of the worst rioting in years, authorities still characterized the mobilization as significant. Organizers, however, provided turnout estimates that were much higher than the government's figures.
To manage the demonstrations, French authorities deployed approximately 70,000 police and gendarmes nationwide. In Paris, the government mandated that marches be rerouted to the city's periphery to protect commercial districts and government buildings, following a last-minute court battle. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had previously warned of a "very high risk" of disorder, particularly as the demonstrations coincided with Halloween. By Saturday, police reported 300 arrests across the country, a decrease from the 800 arrests recorded at the same point during the previous weekend's unrest.
The main protest in Paris, which drew an estimated 70,000 participants, moved along the Boulevards des Maréchaux, the ring of avenues skirting the edge of the city. The gathering initially maintained a peaceful, even joyful atmosphere, with marchers blasting techno music, a painter working along the route, and some participants engaging in trick-or-treating. Security agents from the CGT, one of France's largest labor unions, kept watch at the front of the gathering while police massed on side streets. However, the situation deteriorated near the march's end at Porte de Charenton. Some individuals began hurling glass bottles and fireworks at police, who responded with volleys of stun grenades and tear gas. The resulting blasts and smoke forced many peaceful protesters to flee, with some scattering into the nearby Bois de Vincennes park.
The movement, which began last month, brings together a diverse coalition of high school students, climate activists, and citizens struggling with economic pressures. Grievances range from teacher shortages and neglected educational facilities to a university admissions system perceived as unfair to disadvantaged students. Corentin Cabreux, a 21-year-old student, described the dire conditions in his state-run residence, citing "damp stains all along the bottom of my walls, whole sections peeling off, cockroaches everywhere, rats." Labor unions and others angry at President Emmanuel Macron joined in with a variety of demands.
In response to the ongoing unrest, the government implemented strict measures, including a ban on entering areas such as Place de la Republique and Les Halles from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, unaccompanied minors face a separate 9 p.m. curfew around the Champs-Elysees, although a Paris court recently suspended an earlier, broader curfew, citing it as an illegal infringement on freedom of movement.
The unrest has extended beyond French borders, with similar youth-led demonstrations reported in Germany and Italy. In Germany, the initiative "Gen Z regelt"—roughly "Gen Z's got this"—organized rallies in over 30 cities to demand investments in education, health, and climate protection, while opposing any return of military conscription. Organizers claimed tens of thousands participated across the country. In Berlin, students gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to voice their frustrations. Lara Breitenbach, a high school student, emphasized that young people are the ones who will live with the consequences of current economic and environmental policies. Another student, Janelle Schulz, highlighted the deteriorating state of her school, including ceiling damage from water and a lack of teachers.
German police intervened in several cities, ending a march in Cologne after protesters used pyrotechnics, threw stones, and covered their faces despite a ban. Police used water cannons to disperse the crowd. In Hamburg, some protesters shot pyrotechnics toward police and burned down barricades, prompting the use of water cannons and tear gas. In Frankfurt, protesters pummeled police with stones, injuring several officers, one of them severely. Elsewhere in Europe, thousands of protesters, including families with small children, converged in downtown Lisbon to peacefully protest Portugal's housing crisis, holding placards reading "Houses or Fire" and "We are not Afraid."
