(Adnkronos) – Hundreds of thousands of people will take to the streets today across France, for strikes called by unions and for student demonstrations ongoing for weeks. The high school student movement, born from the youth protest against poor school conditions, has intertwined with widespread anger over the rising cost of living and inequality, culminating on October 17 with the worst unrest France has seen in recent years. According to authorities’ estimates, between 500,000 and 700,000 people will protest across the country, while in Paris, around 80,000 people are expected to participate. “It will be a strong mobilization,” said Marylise Leon of the Cfdt union, predicting a turnout comparable to the protests against pension reform in France in 2023, which saw the participation of over a million people. Public and private education unions, as well as those of railway workers, public hospitals, and postal services, have called a strike. In demands addressed to both the government and employers, unions are calling for an increase in the minimum wage, which has not received any increase since 2012, generalized wage increases, tax reforms, and better learning conditions for young people.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced yesterday the deployment of 70,000 police officers and security forces members across the country, promising “an extremely firm response” to any “act of violence” or disorder. Although student protests have been largely peaceful, in some cases clashes with police occurred, who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. An investigation for attempted murder was launched after Molotov cocktails were thrown at law enforcement in Paris last Saturday. But the police response has been criticized for being excessive, and internal investigations have been launched into allegations of brutality against protesters. Several teenage protesters were seriously injured and thousands were arrested. Authorities have admitted failures in security and intelligence that paved the way for the clashes, large-scale looting, and acts of vandalism against public property that erupted on October 17.
