French Protests Intensify as Police Use Tear Gas to Disperse Crowd in Paris Nationwide Demonstrations Reach Nearly 1.6 Million - Thairath English

A major protest wave in France has escalated sharply, with demonstrators clashing with riot police in Paris before officers deployed tear gas to break up the crowd. The total number of participants across the country surged to almost 1.6 million.

Tensions rose again in France's protests last Thursday as demonstrators confronted riot police in Paris, leading officials to use tear gas to disperse the crowd at the end of the march.

These protests occurred simultaneously in multiple cities across France, with large numbers of people marching to demand wage increases and to show support for a growing student protest movement.

France's Ministry of the Interior reported over 600,000 people participated nationwide, while the CGT labor union estimated nearly 1.6 million attendees across more than 200 locations. Both figures exceeded the turnout on 17 October, when some areas experienced riots and looting.

Beyond disrupting traffic and public order, the protests affected education as about one-third of secondary schools nationwide were closed or unable to operate normally. Some schools were blocked by students, while others were impacted by teachers' strikes.

This movement began in September and has since spread across many regions amid a tense political climate, with politicians attempting to leverage the protests for political advantage.

Although government and union estimates of participants differ greatly, both reflect that the protests have drawn large crowds and are becoming a significant pressure point for the French government.