European Youth Protests: 320,000 March in France Amid Rising Tensions

The French government counted 320,000 people on the streets of France on Saturday. This marked the third consecutive weekend of demonstrations driven by high school students and workers concerned about living costs and education.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned of a "very high risk" of disorder, prompting the deployment of 70,000 police and gendarmes nationwide. Authorities rerouted Paris marches to the city's edges to protect central stores and government buildings. While the majority of protests remained peaceful, small groups set fires and clashed with police in several cities.

Protesters carried diverse banners representing students, climate activists, and those fighting high costs. Corentin Cabreux, a 21-year-old student, described his state-run residence as having "damp stains all along the bottom of my walls, whole sections peeling off, cockroaches everywhere, rats." His comments reflect the crumbling infrastructure that sparked the initial student protests last month.

Halloween costumes added a symbolic layer to the gatherings. Cléo Farenc, a 30-year-old gallery assistant, dressed as a beheaded Marie-Antoinette. She explained the choice as a way to "embody a figure of power who was brought down by the people." The mood in the main Paris march along the Boulevards des Maréchaux was initially festive, with techno music playing and marchers trick-or-treating before the sun set.

Violence broke out later near Porte de Charenton. Protesters threw glass bottles and fireworks at officers, who responded with stun grenades and tear gas. Smoke filled the air as dusk fell, forcing many peaceful marchers to cough and retreat into the nearby Bois de Vincennes. Authorities reported more than 560 arrests nationwide by Saturday night.

Similar youth-led rallies occurred in Germany, Portugal, and the Netherlands. In Germany, tens of thousands participated in protests across more than 30 cities under the banner "Gen Z regelt." High school student Lara Breitenbach in Berlin demanded more investment in social services, education, and climate protection. In Lisbon, thousands gathered to protest the housing crisis, holding signs that read "Houses or Fire." In The Hague, police maintained a strong presence, and many stores boarded up windows as a precaution against potential looting.

Paris police enforced strict curfews during the weekend. They barred entry to Place de la Republique and Les Halles from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Unaccompanied minors faced a 9 p.m. curfew near the Champs-Elysees, a restriction a court had suspended earlier in the week as an infringement on freedom of movement.