250,000 Protest Cost of Living Across France
The turnout topped the government’s estimate of 170,000 as demonstrations that began in September continued to spread nationwide.
About 250,000 people took to the streets across France on Saturday (7/11) to protest rising living costs, according to Le Figaro, citing youth union data. The figure was higher than the government’s estimate, which had forecast up to 170,000 participants, including 60,000 in Paris. The protest wave began in mid-September, when high school students demonstrated in several Paris suburbs demanding better school conditions, then spread into a national movement. In earlier rallies, clashes broke out and authorities detained hundreds of people. The largest turnout so far was recorded on 17 October, when France’s Interior Ministry counted about 550,000 participants. Police also used tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons to disperse crowds.