French police arrest nearly 1000 people during living cost protests

More than 400,000 people gathered across France on Saturday to protest against high living costs and school funding, Fortune reported. Protests took place in Paris and other French cities, according to France 24 and the Guardian. The Times of Israel reported that over 100,000 demonstrators marched in Paris alone. [1][3][4][6]

Fortune reported that police made nearly 1,000 arrests after clashes erupted near the end of the Paris march. Masked protesters threw objects and fireworks at security forces, who deployed tear gas, sound grenades, and water cannons. Water cannons shoot high-velocity streams of water over dozens of meters, often used for riot control. [1][7]

Prior to the demonstrations, France 24 reported that French police deployed in large numbers and major Paris museums closed. Euronews.com showed police deploying armored vehicles in Paris and Marseille, while shopkeepers boarded up storefronts across Paris, Fortune reported. The Times of Israel reported that police initially noted calm in Paris while clashes broke out in other cities. [1][4][5][6]

The unrest follows previous economic protests held a week earlier. As FTMQ Business reported earlier, an estimated 550,000 people protested across France on October 18 over living costs and education funding, which resulted in more than 1,200 arrests and raised French 10-year government bond yields by up to 16 basis points to 4.94 percent. [1][9][10]