Clashes broke out Saturday in Paris and other French cities amid demonstrations held a week after others that degenerated into street violence and prompted a robust security backlash as President Emmanuel Macron seeks to restore order.
Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published October 25, 2026
Police Deploy Tear Gas and Water Cannons
In Paris, a demonstration that began largely peacefully deteriorated after the march ended near the southeastern edge of the capital. Police used tear gas, batons and water cannons against groups of protesters who threw fireworks and other objects at officers.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said confrontations involved approximately 500 people he described as rioters. Police had restricted the demonstration route to areas away from central Paris amid concerns about further damage to businesses.
Several shops boarded up their windows ahead of the protests, while the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay museums closed for the day as a precaution. Authorities also imposed restrictions in certain urban areas and increased security around sensitive locations.
Unrest Spreads Across France
Clashes were reported in Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Montpellier, Nantes, Grenoble and other cities.
In Marseille, some demonstrators set fire to rubbish bins, blocked roads and threw rocks and bottles at security forces. Police also reported looting at several businesses, including jewellery shops.
In Nantes, protesters broke through police lines to reach the city centre, while officers used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds. In Lyon, police fired tear gas at groups gathered in the southern part of the city.
Authorities also reported confrontations between far-right activists and left-wing demonstrators in southern cities, including Nice and Montpellier, adding another source of tension to the nationwide unrest.
More Than 400,000 People Join Demonstrations
The Interior Ministry estimated that approximately 410,000 people participated in demonstrations nationwide. The CGT trade union, which helped organize some of the marches, estimated turnout at nearly 800,000.
In Paris, authorities counted approximately 110,000 participants, while the union estimated that around 250,000 attended.
The demonstrations brought together students, workers, trade union members and supporters of the Yellow Vests movement. Their grievances included rising fuel prices, the broader cost of living, education funding and opposition to government restrictions on public demonstrations.
The protests followed weeks of unrest that began with student demonstrations over school conditions and expanded into a wider movement criticizing the government’s economic policies.
Nearly 1,000 Arrests Reported
French authorities reported nearly 1,000 arrests in connection with Saturday’s demonstrations, although officials indicated that the total could change as additional cases were processed.
Two people were reported seriously injured, according to the interior minister. One was a man in Toulouse who reportedly suffered severe injuries to his fingers, while details about the second injured person in Clermont-Ferrand were not immediately provided.
The government said the reinforced security operation helped limit the scale of the violence compared with the previous weekend, when public buildings were vandalized, shops were looted and approximately 2,700 people were arrested.
The deployment included police officers and gendarmes, supported by helicopters, armored vehicles and other security resources.
Government Faces Pressure Over Security Measures
President Emmanuel Macron’s government has faced criticism from demonstrators and political opponents over its response to the unrest. Critics argue that restrictions on protest routes, curfews and bans on certain demonstrations threaten the right to peaceful assembly.
Government officials, meanwhile, have defended the security measures as necessary to prevent violence, protect businesses and maintain public order.
The latest clashes underscore the difficulty facing authorities as they attempt to contain street violence while managing widespread public dissatisfaction over economic pressures and education policy.
The Yellow Vests movement has called for another round of demonstrations on October 31, raising the possibility of further protests in the coming days.
