World

Nearly 1,000 detained as hundreds of thousands march across France

Paris, France • October 25, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Editorial illustration: a large protest march in Paris on an autumn afternoon

Illustration: Press Pass USA

Nearly 1,000 people were detained across France on Saturday as hundreds of thousands marched against the rising cost of living and poor school conditions, in a second consecutive weekend of mass protests that stayed largely peaceful until late clashes in several cities.

France's Interior Ministry estimated 410,000 people took part nationwide, including about 110,000 in Paris, while trade unions put the national turnout at around 800,000, the BBC reported. About 70,000 police officers were deployed across the country — 10,000 more than the previous week.

In Paris, a march from Porte d'Italie toward Porte de Vincennes passed largely peacefully before clashes broke out at the end, with police using tear gas and water cannon against small groups of masked demonstrators, according to Reuters reporting. Clashes were also reported in Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Lille and other cities.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said nearly 1,000 people had been detained, compared with 385 during the previous week's protests, and described the situation as more “positive” than a week earlier, saying police had acted faster, carried out more checks and better protected businesses.

The protests drew strong support from high school students demanding more teachers and repairs to crumbling school buildings, alongside families protesting living costs. They follow a chaotic weekend a week earlier that saw rioting and looting, after which courts jailed hundreds of people in expedited hearings.

Sources: BBC, via tob.news (Oct 25, 2026); Reuters, via ANI (Oct 24–25, 2026).