Hundreds of thousands join fresh protests over education and living costs in France

United States / 1 November 2026 Legal filing challenges Trump claims about non-citizens being registered to vote 1 November 2026 Europe / 1 November 2026 Polish PM vows to restore independence of judiciary amid stand-off with opposition supporters 1 November 2026 South Asia / 1 November 2026 Indian opposition rallies to demand resignation of elections chief 1 November 2026 United States / 1 November 2026 Judge throws out Trump lawsuit over publication of letter to Epstein 1 November 2026 Middle East / 1 November 2026 RAF and Royal Navy branded terrorist organisations by Iran 1 November 2026 Round-up / 1 November 2026 World in brief: November 1, 2026 1 November 2026 HUNDREDS of thousands of protesters inspired by the example of secondary school students took to the streets across France at the weekend, in a third consecutive weekend of demonstrations over living costs and education.

The protests were overwhelmingly peaceful, with Halloween costumes lightening the mood, but gatherings in Paris and other cities ended in clouds of tear gas and scattered fires set by small groups on the margins.

About 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed across the country after Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned of a “very high risk” of disorder, especially after dark on Halloween. Paris marches were rerouted to the city’s edge to protect shops, government buildings and touristed areas in the centre.

The government estimated that 320,000 people had protested nationwide on Saturday, a lower number than for previous demonstrations but still a huge turnout.

More than 560 arrests were reported nationwide by Saturday night. Police had detained thousands of people after the riots and looting that followed peaceful marches on the previous two Saturdays.

In the main Paris march, each group carried its own banner: school students, climate activists and people angry about the cost of living.

Corentin Cabreux, a 21-year-old student, said that he lived in a state-run student residence where “there are damp stains all along the bottom of my walls, whole sections peeling off, cockroaches everywhere, rats.”

The rallies were started last month by secondary school students protesting over neglected buildings, teacher shortages and a university admissions system seen as unfair to disadvantaged students. Trade unions and others joined in with a variety of demands.

While the vast majority of protesters have been peaceful, groups of troublemakers routinely target police with fireworks and projectiles. Police use of tear gas, dispersion grenades, water cannon and other tactics has resulted in severe injuries.

In Germany, meanwhile, a youth initiative called “Gen Z regelt” – roughly “Gen Z’s got this” – rallied in more than 30 cities “for education, health, climate protection and an affordable life” and against any return of military conscription. Organisers said that tens of thousands had participated.

While most people rallied peacefully, some protests turned violent on Saturday night.

In Portugal, thousands of protesters, including families with small children, peacefully protested in the centre of Lisbon against a national housing crisis.

A “Gen Z” demonstration in the Dutch city of The Hague ended without any large-scale public disorder on Saturday, though 34 people, most aged between 15 and 18, were arrested.