Paris, 25 October. At least 1,300 people were arrested on the sidelines of Saturday's protests against the high cost of living across France, and at least 50 police officers and three protesters were hurt, France's Interior Ministry said.
The arrests, according to the ministry, took place during clashes on the margins of largely calm marches in major cities. The day before, the authorities reportedly asked telecom operators to be ready to suspend access to social media in case of violence, with any restrictions applying only to mobile phones and specific areas.
What it means: The number arrested on a single Saturday rose from an initial thousand to 1,300, and the government prepared seriously for the first time to switch off social media.
Who benefits: The government gets a tool for controlling unrest. Human rights groups and protesters get an argument about shrinking freedoms.
Background: According to the Interior Ministry, 410,000 people took part in the 24 October protests; the CGT union put the figure at almost 800,000.
