Mass Protests Across France Turn Violent

Hundreds of thousands of people, many of them young, joined a third consecutive weekend of protests across France over living costs, education, strained public services and government policies. The government estimated turnout at 320,000 nationwide, while organizers put it considerably higher; about 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed amid warnings of a high risk of disorder. Most marches were initially calm, but clashes later broke out in Paris and other cities, where police used tear gas and water cannon and officers were targeted with projectiles; arrests were lower than the previous weekend. The protests followed earlier demonstrations marked by riots and looting, which heightened concerns among authorities and businesses. Youth-led demonstrations also took place in Germany and Italy, reflecting a wider European wave of discontent.