Demonstrations are taking place across France this Saturday as protesters rally against the rising cost of living, merging their cause with high school students who have been protesting education conditions for more than three weeks. The mobilization draws inspiration from social media calls to revive the yellow vest movement, which originally emerged in 2018 to combat social injustice.
Student groups, who have been active since mid-September, have encouraged supporters to join the demonstrations. The CGT, one of the country's most prominent labor unions, has also thrown its weight behind the protests, explicitly calling for higher wages and pensions, lower prices, and the protection of essential public services.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that authorities expected hundreds of protest actions and more than 80 marches nationwide, encompassing spontaneous gatherings, organized street demonstrations, and blockades. In Paris, a march was scheduled to begin at Republic Plaza in the early afternoon. Police have implemented security measures, including the closure of many Metro stations near government offices, parliament, the presidential palace, and the Champs-Elysees.
President Emmanuel Macron addressed the situation on Friday from Brussels, appealing for calm and respect for both individuals and property. While acknowledging the constitutional right to protest and express opinions, he emphasized that this right must be balanced with the need for respect. Macron denounced the presence of individuals who attend solely to cause damage or create unrest as unacceptable.
The current wave of student unrest has already led to thousands of arrests, hundreds of injuries, and instances of schools being set on fire. These events have drawn international attention and are impacting the ongoing presidential election campaign. Tensions have been exacerbated by reports of gruesome wounds caused by police riot-control weapons. In response to a 15-year-old suffering the loss of a hand, Minister Nuñez suspended the use of a specific type of police stun grenade against young protesters. Earlier in the week, climate and social justice activist Greta Thunberg visited students at a high school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis to show her support.
