France Protests Draw 320,000, Clashes Erupt

An estimated 320,000 people joined protests across France on Saturday, the third consecutive weekend of demonstrations over living costs, strained public services and conditions in schools, down from an estimated 410,000 the previous weekend. The rallies began with student grievances and drew support from unions and other groups; they were mostly peaceful during the day, but clashes later broke out in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse and other cities, where police used tear gas and other crowd-control measures. Authorities deployed about 70,000 police and gendarmes amid concerns about a repeat of earlier riots and looting; in Lyon, demonstrators burned U.S. and Israeli flags and some chanted anti-Israel slogans. The protests disrupted tourism and led to security measures and changes affecting major museums, cultural performances, transport and sporting events. U.S. guidance urges travelers to avoid demonstrations and monitor local updates, but does not advise canceling trips; Paris remains open to visitors, though reported declines in hotel bookings and elevated cancellations have not been independently verified.