French police arrest nearly 1,000 in nationwide cost protests

Arrests and violence

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced on Saturday that nearly 1,000 people have been arrested nationwide during demonstrations over rising living costs and poor education standards, with the figure expected to climb higher as authorities continue processing incidents from the day’s events. Nunez told reporters that while the demonstrations had largely proceeded as anticipated, groups considered at risk of causing trouble had broken away from marches to damage property and attack security forces. “Law enforcement intervened systematically in response to these acts, which were numerous, involving projectile throwing and mortar fire,” he said.

The minister noted the number of arrests was significantly higher than the 385 recorded at the same point during demonstrations last weekend, marking a sharp escalation in confrontations between protesters and police. Security forces seized a large number of items that could be used as weapons during the operations, and Nunez praised the effectiveness of the security measures deployed to protect commercial districts. Two people were seriously injured during the clashes, one in Clermont-Ferrand and the other in Toulouse, according to the minister.

Minister defends police response

Nunez defended the police response to the demonstrations, saying officers had acted proportionally and rejecting claims that authorities had repressed the protest movement. “Without the police, there would have been no march,” he said, highlighting the level of aggression faced by law enforcement officers during the demonstrations. The minister emphasized that shops in city centers were largely protected, although some businesses were looted in certain cities, describing the situation as better than the previous week when vandalism was more widespread.

Regional incidents

Citing the administration in the city of Tours, where around 5,000 people demonstrated, Nunez said authorities had observed up to 800 masked individuals who sought to avoid identification before vandalizing property. The minister also referred to an incident in Nice in which a far-right group reportedly attempted to protect businesses before being dispersed by police, describing the incident as “a first.” He said there had been no attacks targeting public buildings during Saturday's demonstrations, attributing this to police intervention — a contrast with Oct. 17, when public facilities including city halls in Limoges and Marseille and the Lyon tourist office were targeted.