Protesters begin marching in French cities
Protesters in Paris have begun marching from Porte de Bagnolet, with demonstrations also taking place in Lille and Lyon.
A summary of today's developments
Turnout at the protests in France against the cost of living stood at 320,000 nationwide, the interior ministry said, lower than the 410,000 seen the previous Saturday and 550,000 on October 17 when riots erupted across the country.
Crowds of people gathered in Paris for the protests, where two French student unions called for a blockade of schools and universities on Tuesday and Thursday.
Demonstrations were largely peaceful through the afternoon, though police fired tear gas in Lyon, France’s third-largest city, and Toulouse in the southwest, while tension also broke out at the end of the march in Marseille, Reuters reported.
German authorities said Saturday’s demonstrations, which coincide with Halloween festivities, had been largely peaceful so far, but warned of attempts by extremist groups to exploit the movement. In Hamburg, some barricades were set on fire.
Here is a collage of photos from today’s demonstrations in countries including France, Germany and Albania.
German authorities said Saturday’s demonstrations, which coincide with Halloween festivities, had been largely peaceful so far, but warned of attempts by extremist groups to exploit the movement.
In Hamburg, some barricades were set on fire.
“We are here today to fight for peace and freedom, rather than for war and coercion,” Gen Z regelt spokesperson Lina Friedrich said in Berlin on Saturday.
“What matters most to us is better support for the health and education systems. We are against compulsory military service and we are in favour of a fairer distribution of the burden.”
320,000 attend protests in France, according to government
Turnout at the protests in France against the cost of living stood at 320,000 nationwide, the interior ministry said, lower than the 410,000 seen the previous Saturday and 550,000 on October 17 when riots erupted across the country.
Demonstrations were largely peaceful through the afternoon, though police fired tear gas in Lyon, France’s third-largest city, and Toulouse in the southwest, while tension also broke out at the end of the march in Marseille, Reuters reported.
Police cancel march in Cologne due to masked protesters
Police in the German city of Cologne have called off the march organised by Gen Z regelt due to some protesters wearing masks and throwing smoke bombs.
“The demonstration will continue as a stationary rally,” a police spokesperson told German DPA news agency.
Some images on the newswires of protesters dressed for Halloween:
The demonstrations in France and Germany have so far passed without incident, although not everyone is happy with how it’s going.
“We expected it to be different,” one Berliner dressed in a black ski mask and hoody told Die Welt.
Police officers at Place de la Bastille in Paris, where protest organisers had originally planned to begin the march before authorities banned the route and ordered it to start at Porte de Bagnolet, on the eastern edge of the capital:
AP is reporting from the ground in Paris:
France interior ministry says 15,000 people taking part in protests
The French interior ministry said about 15,000 people were taking part in demonstrations across the country, adding that the situation remained “generally calm”.
The protests were unfolding “without any notable incidents”, the ministry added.
Police had made 27 arrests by 2pm local time, AFP reported.
So far, police in Germany have reported 2,700 protesters in Berlin, with 1,800 people participating in Munich, and about 1,000 in Frankfurt. Police in Cologne have not provided figures but said it was “significantly” lower than the 15,000 registered by organisers, according to the German newspaper Die Welt.
Marches under way in Germany
Demonstrations have also begun across Germany, with marches taking place in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Dresden, among other cities:
