Again protests and clashes in France

Nationwide demonstrations in France Peaceful protests during the day, riots in the evening As of: October 31, 2026 • 8:02 p.m

For the third Saturday in a row, hundreds of thousands of people protested in France - initially peacefully, but ultimately clashes with the police broke out again. They remain on alert even after the protest marches end.

Dancing demonstrators, music and a peaceful atmosphere in the early afternoon in Paris: There had been great displeasure beforehand that the protest was not allowed to go through the busy shopping streets and nightlife districts of Paris. But in the end the demonstrators complied and initially protested without incident.

But the anger about the conditions remained: "Here there are young and not so young people of every skin color and origin, men, women, schoolchildren, students, civil servants and employees in the private sector," says a demonstrator. "And we all come together here to say: We are fed up with the doctrine of austerity, of austerity."

It was initially about purchasing power, says another protester. "But in reality it's about this whole system. This is where all the social struggles come together. This is where the will to really change things is expressed."

Despite initial concessions from the French government, students want to protest against education policy again. more

The Interior Ministry says around 320,000 people demonstrated across France today. The organizers speak of almost a million. There are 70,000 police officers on duty across the country.

The harsh police crackdown in recent weeks, in which some students were seriously injured, has driven many demonstrators onto the streets. So does Coralie. “I am really disappointed that this police violence has not been dealt with,” says the demonstrator. "All these young people, some of them seriously injured. That's why I took to the streets today."

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Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had previously announced tough determination from the security forces. In the late afternoon there were violent clashes between the police and black-clad demonstrators in Marseille, Lyon and Grenoble. In Paris, the situation escalated at the end point when the police broke up the protest march: stones, bottles and fireworks were thrown towards the police. This responded with tear gas.

Towards the evening there were riots and clashes with the police, and fireworks were also set off - like here in Paris.

The security authorities are also on heightened alert for the night. In the past few days there have been numerous calls circulating online to gather masked in city centers for Halloween and to give the police - literally - a "night of darkness".

Local curfews were imposed in Paris and other cities. But tonight should not be the last day of protest. The pupils and students have announced new school blockades for Tuesday. An alliance of unions is calling for a general strike next Thursday.

This topic in the program: tagesschau.de | Protests - first interim assessment | October 31, 2026 | 6:46 p.m