France sees third weekend of protests as youth-led rallies sweep Europe

Tens of thousands of mostly young protesters, some dressed as clowns and witches for Halloween, took to the streets across France on Saturday in a third weekend of demonstrations over living costs and education. Police fired tear gas in Paris after clashes broke out at the end of the march. Youth rallies were also held in Germany and Italy. Turnout at ​the protests stood at ​320,000 ‌nationwide, with about 70,000 in Paris, ⁠the interior ministry said Saturday – fewer than in previous protests. However, the youth trade union coalition put the number at nearly half a million, including 200,000 in Paris. Some 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed across the country, and Paris marches were rerouted to the outskirts of the capital. During the afternoon, thousands of people, some wearing costumes ranging from Spider-Man to Frankenstein, walked through eastern Paris as a helicopter flew overhead. Placards read: "No need for tear gas to make our future look bleak" and "Dressed up as an angry citizen for Halloween". For the most part peaceful, tension flared ​up at the end of the rallies in ​Paris, Marseille, Lyon and ​other French ​cities, with tear ​gas being fired at some people on the sidelines ⁠of the demonstrations. Police made 27 arrests by 2:00 pm on Saturday, compared with 217 arrests on last Saturday's march. A protester kicks a tear gas cannister in Charenton, in the east of Paris as scuffles broke out between some protesters and police towards the end of the march. REUTERS - Abdul Saboor Curfews French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned Friday of a “very high risk” of disorder, especially after dark on Halloween. A nighttime curfew is in place in parts of central Paris and unaccompanied minors are subject to curfews in other big cities such as Bordeaux and Marseille. Smaller rallies took place in cities including Marseille, Toulouse and Lyon. "We say no to the cost of living, no to the far right, yes to high school students' demands, yes to giving citizens a voice," Camille Guerin, 31, said in the western city of Nantes. Corentin Cabreux, a 21-year-old student, said he lives in a state-run student residence where “there are damp stains all along the bottom of my walls, whole sections peeling off, cockroaches everywhere, rats". He said he hoped Saturday’s protest would be festive in honor of Halloween, to counter the image of violence that has attached itself to France’s protests. Two women in costumes attend protests over living costs and education in Paris, France, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. AP Photo/Emma Da Silva - Emma Da Silva French Senate toughens proposals to make rioters pay for damage 'You killed my France' The demonstrations come at a sensitive political climate, with presidential elections less than six months away and far-right leader Marine Le Pen leading opinion polls. The rallies started last month as a movement of high school students protesting neglected buildings, teacher shortages and a university admissions system seen as unfair to disadvantaged students. Trade unions and Yellow Vest activitists angry at President Emmanuel Macron joined in with a variety of demands, particularly over the rising cost of living and inequality. Following a security clampdown and serious injuries to some protesters, the movement broadened its demands to include greater protection of civil liberties and the right to protest. In the southwestern city of Toulouse, thousands of young people gathered for an unauthorised march, some in costumes and carrying French flags. Protesters clapped and sang. "Manu, you killed my France," said one placard, in a reference to Macron. Protesters in Paris, 31 October, 2026. © Pedro Nunes / Reuters New school blockades Student protesters have vowed to stage new blockades of high schools and universities next week. "Starting this Tuesday, we will blockade our universities and high schools, and we will do so again on Thursday before joining the demonstration on 5 November called by workers and trade unions," said Sabrine Kharbach, spokesperson for the Union etudiante union. Some protests have degenerated into rioting and looting, including unrest on 17 October that caused an estimated one billion euros in damage to shops and public buildings. Ahead of the protests, some shopkeepers boarded up their businesses. In eastern Paris, Wael Boubaker, a cafe employee, covered a storefront with plywood panels. "Everyone is staying home. No one is going to come and buy anything," he said. Alain Di Crescenzo, president of France's chamber of commerce, said business owners were worried. "Shopkeepers can't wait for Saturday to be over," Di Crescenzo told broadcaster France Inter. Nunez said authorities had detected social media calls for Halloween gatherings on Saturday evening urging protesters to spark a "revolution". France boards up ahead of Halloween protests Student-led protests beyond France In Germany, a youth initiative called “Gen Z regelt” – roughly “Gen Z’s got this” – rallied in many cities “for education, health, climate protection and an affordable life,” and against any return of military conscription. Organisers said more than 180,000 people had signed up online, but as of Saturday afternoon only several thousands marched in various cities across the country. Young protesters also gathered at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Saturday. [We call for] "more money to be invested in social services and education, as well as in climate protection – in short, in our future – because we're the ones who will be affected by this the longest and who will have to live with it," said high school student Lara Breitenbach. An additional 1,500 police officers were deployed to the German capital to tackle possible riots. Demonstrators attend a protest under the slogan "Gen Z Takes Care of It" in Berlin on Saturday. AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi - Ebrahim Noroozi ‘Generational rage’ drives young Europeans to fight to be heard In The Hague, Netherlands, there was a strong police presence in and around the downtown shopping area on Saturday afternoon after online appeals for protests, and fears of rioting and looting. However, there was little sign of protests and no major disturbances by mid-afternoon. Police frisked some groups of black-clad youngsters, and checked their identities, local media reported. Many stores in the city were also boarded up as a precaution. In the Spanish city of Barcelona, Catalan police planned to activate their highest-level alert after an anonymous TikTok network called Blocus urged new gatherings. Rioting there last Saturday led to about 130 arrests, mostly of minors. Thousands of students and workers took to the streets across Italy on Friday, calling for more school funding and relief from the soaring cost of living. Italian police were on alert after clashes in Milan, Turin and Bologna. Calls to protest circulated on TikTok in Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Portugal. (with newswires)