Paris, 24 October. Some 410,000 people, 110,000 of them in Paris, took part in Saturday's demonstrations across France against the rising cost of living, and around 1,000 were arrested, France's Interior Ministry said; the same evening saw unrest in Barcelona, Rome and other European cities.
The unions count differently: according to the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), one of the organisers, almost 800,000 people took to the streets, 250,000 of them in Paris. A week earlier, according to the ministry, 550,000 protested. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said "the marches went well", although there were cases of damage to property and looting. "At the moment the number of arrests is approaching a thousand. Obviously this figure will rise when we have finally collected all the data," he said at a briefing.
Police used water cannon and tear gas; partial curfews for minors in several cities were extended until 26 October, and the Yellow Vests movement called a new nationwide mobilisation for 31 October. The protesters are demanding an end to rising prices and better conditions in schools. In Marseille, where soldiers were seen on the streets, young people vowed to carry on: "Just surviving has become too expensive," one participant said.
In Barcelona, according to the authorities, protesters looted 14 shops in the city centre and clashed with police; more than 100 people were arrested, almost 30 of them minors. In Rome there was a march against Italy's involvement in ongoing conflicts, while in Turin, Bologna and Florence demonstrations against expensive fuel, inflation and the "war economy" ended in clashes with police. In central Tirana, clashes continue between anti-government demonstrators and police, which began on 13 October after a student protest outside the Education Ministry.
What it means: The protests against high prices in France are shrinking in numbers but not in arrests, and similar protests have flared up in Spain, Italy and Albania.
Who benefits: The unions and the Yellow Vests gain leverage over the government ahead of the presidential election. The government can point to fewer participants than last week; it insists the marches were calm.
Background: Protests against the rising cost of living and poor conditions in schools have been going on in France for more than a week; last Saturday, as France 24 recalls, ended in looting and violence. France's presidential election is a few months away.
We have also reported that a new wave of protests began in France on Saturday.
