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France Protests Draw 575,000 People; Interior Ministry Reports 448 Detentions
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About 575,000 protesters nationwide, largest autumn turnout. Unions across public and private sectors joined protests over wages and cost of living.
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France mobilizes nationwide
France saw 575,000 protesters take part in demonstrations across the country on Thursday, marking the biggest single day of protests since a wave of unrest began in September, according to CNN’s report from Paris. The Interior Ministry said the day ended with 448 detentions and 53 police officers injured, and it revised participation from 600,000 down to 575,000, DW reported. The Interior Ministry counted 575,000 protesters nationwide up to 17:00 local time, while the General Confederation of Labour raised the strike turnout to 1.6 million people, teleSUR reported.
In Paris, the authorized march from Place de la République to Place de la Nation passed without major episodes of violence or shop looting, and teleSUR said the only minor incident involved firefighters putting out a fire on the grass of the Place de la Nation. In Lyon, the Interior Ministry said riot police used tear gas and charged a group of demonstrators, and DW reported that some demonstrators chanted slogans against the security forces.
Unions, ministers, and clashes
Sophie Binet told CBS News that protesters were demanding continued action, and she said, "Our salaries do not allow us to live anymore." Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he would convene a "social conference" with unions and employers next Monday, the BBC reported. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez deployed 70,000 police and vowed an "extremely firm response" to any potential outbreaks of violence, according to the BBC.
DW reported that the Interior Ministry said it was "systematically prevented for these groups to take action" in Lyon, even as it described demonstrators showing "great violence against the police and gendarmes". In Lyon, CBS News reported that protesters torched a car, and it said police used tear gas to clear out protesters as clashes broke out during several demonstrations.
What comes next
The BBC reported that the Prime Minister said early on Thursday evening that Monday's "social conference" would seek to "provide answers to questions surrounding purchasing power and wages." teleSUR reported that the French government announced it is preparing for next Monday an official address to outline possible alternatives and solutions to the economic crisis. teleSUR said unions and student movements warned they would keep pressure on the streets indefinitely until their core demands are met, including a 10 percent increase in workers’ remuneration and cancellation of the budget-cut package.
teleSUR reported that for Saturday, November 7, two separate gatherings are planned, including an inter-union march authorized by the Prefecture departing at 14:00 local time from Place de la République to Place de la Nation. The BBC reported that the revived gilets jaunes movement called for further blockades and protests on Friday and Saturday too, as the Thursday march was eventually allowed in central Paris.