France Arrests Over 1,300 as Cost-of-Living Protests Turn Violent
French police arrested 1,314 people during weekend protests over the rising cost of living, while 53 officers were injured in clashes, the Interior Ministry said. Violence erupted on the sidelines of mass demonstrations in major cities on Saturday, marking the second consecutive weekend of unrest. The ministry added that the remainder of Saturday night was calm after the clashes subsided. It remains unclear whether the injuries reported during Saturday’s demonstrations were caused by such weapons.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is scheduled to meet student representatives on Monday alongside Education Minister Edouard Geffray and Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste. The government faces a difficult balancing act: maintaining public order while addressing demands for greater spending on education and social services at a time of pressure on public finances. The arrests occurred as violence broke out on the margins of mass demonstrations in major cities yesterday over the high cost of living.
Elsewhere, about 13,000 people attended an anti-National Rally demonstration in Orléans, which remained peaceful. In Milan, northern Italy, a major security operation including hundreds of soldiers alongside police prevented protesters from gathering in the city. Macron is due to leave office in 2027, and the approaching election has intensified political competition between the country’s major ideological camps.
The unrest highlights growing public frustration over economic pressures and school conditions, forcing the government to confront both immediate security concerns and longer-term social demands. With tensions running high, the coming days will test the administration’s ability to restore calm and engage in meaningful dialogue with protesters and student leaders.
Shimanta Das 
