Protests over living costs and public services spread across Europe
More than 320,000 people demonstrated in France while 160,000 marchers were expected in Germany.
Hundreds of thousands of people participated in demonstrations across France as the nation prepares for a general strike. According to BBC News, more than 320,000 people took to the streets nationwide, with approximately 70,000 demonstrating in Paris. France's interior ministry reported that at least 290 protesters were arrested during the third weekend of nationwide protests against poor public services and the rising cost of living.
In Paris, police used tear gas during clashes with protesters. Authorities had prepared extensively to prevent a recurrence of the looting and violence that occurred two weeks ago. Protests also took place in Albania, Germany and Italy, as youth groups took to the streets across Europe.
In Germany, a campaign group called Gen Z regelt urged people to join demonstrations in more than 30 cities. According to Outlook, more than 160,000 people registered to participate in the Saturday protests. The group is demanding better housing, climate protection, and investment in schools, while opposing compulsory military service.
German authorities expect the demonstrations to remain mostly peaceful, though they cautioned that extremist groups might attempt to use the events to advance their own agendas. Hesse interior minister Roman Poseck noted that images of looting and attacks on police in France remain in mind. Meanwhile, the Federal Pupils’ Conference has refused to associate with the protests due to a lack of clarity regarding the organisers.