Emmanuel Macron has said there is “no room for violence” after hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest France’s cost of living crisis on Saturday.
“Those who have broken, attacked the prefectures as well as businesses, looted even our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished,” the French president said.
Around 400 people were arrested on Saturday, interior minister Laurent Nunez told French media in a briefing. The government says around 550,000 protesters took part across the country, with organisers estimating the number at 800,000.
The interior ministry saying there had been violent incidents involving hooded individuals in Paris, Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers.
A large police presence was visible in central Paris, especially near landmarks such as the Avenue des Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe, with police firing tear gas at protesters who had climbed on monuments.
Protesters chanted about a repeat of the French Revolution, declaring: “It's the Revolution − we're taking the Bastille!" as they stormed the mayor’s offices in Marseille, according to Le Monde.
The protests began last month at high schools in Paris' poor northern suburbs, where anger over teacher absences and shabby facilities quickly morphed into a nationwide movement against inequality, weak public spending and falling standards.
In pictures: Protestors clash with police in violent demonstrations
Why are protests taking place at petrol stations and oil depots?
As demonstrations explode across France on Saturday, hundreds of people will head to petrol stations, oil depots, and refineries to protest.
The nationwide movement is part of a revolt against growing inequalities, including rising fuel prices and the cost of living.
Yellow Vests, one of the organisations leading today's protests, said 384 protests will take place at petrol stations in France, 38 at oil depots and five at refineries.
It said: “The gross refining margin has multiplied by 4.4 between the 2025 average and August 2026. It is 8.4 times higher than in May 2017, at the time of Emmanuel Macron's election.
“Over the same period, the distribution margin of the stations remained stable: 28.1 cents per litre of diesel before the crisis, 26.7 cents between March and May 2026.
“The action takes place in front of the pumps, where the price is displayed, and upstream: in front of the refineries, where the margin has been multiplied, and in front of the oil depots that supply the stations.”
A 19-year-old protester in Paris name Lola said: “We are fighting because the cost of living is too harsh, because the price of fuel is too high, because high school pupils are being violently attacked and hurt all over the country just for trying to protest and ask for more teachers and decent learning conditions.”
Watch: Police use tear gas and water cannon against protesters in Paris
Macron: There is no room for violence in France
We’ve heard again from French president Emmanuel Macron who has said there is “no room for violence” after hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest France’s cost of living crisis on Saturday.
“Those who have broken, attacked the prefectures as well as businesses, looted even our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished,” the French president said.
He expressed his support for law enforcement against the “sowers of chaos” who seek to “bring down our institutions”.
Around 400 arrested on Saturday, says interior minister
Around 400 people have been arrested in Saturday’s widespread protests, Laurent Nunez, France’s Minister of the Interior has said.
Mr Nunez was speaking to French media after a day which has seen major clashes between demonstrators and police across the country.
His ministry says around 550,000 demonstrators participated in France, while organisers said there were around 800,000.
French police response placed under the microscope
The protests in France began last month at high schools in Paris' poor northern suburbs, where anger over teacher shortages and shabby facilities evolved into a broader movement focused on inequality, public spending and living standards.
But they have now spread into a widespread display of discontent over the cost of living in France.
Police tactics have drawn criticism following injuries among demonstrators, including a teenager who lost a hand after picking up a stun grenade.
Lecornu said more than 900 police officers had also been injured in previous protests.
The police watchdog is investigating at least two dozen allegations of police violence.
France among several European countries facing unrest
In protests partly inspired by those in France, several hundred mostly young people protested in Brussels, and some clashed with police.
Belgian student groups have said they are protesting against rising education costs and reforms they fear will make higher education less accessible.
In Albania, police fired what appeared to be rubber bullets at protesters during a fifth day of mass student demonstrations calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to step down.
In Portugal, tens of thousands took to the streets of Lisbon following days of unrest to protest against housing and other living costs. Housing prices in Portugal have doubled since 2017, fuelling one of the worst affordability crises in Europe.
In Italy, a march against high costs of living in Milan degenerated into disorder, with police clearing the central Cathedral square with tear gas.
Police in Bologna used water cannon to try to disperse crowds and made seven arrests after another protest turned violent, the ANSA news agency reported.
Hundreds arrested as protesters clash with police across France over rising living costs
Clashes have broken out between police and protesters in cities across France as tens of thousands of people angered by rising costs and declining public services took to the streets – in some of the country's most violent protests of recent times.
More than 270 people have been arrested across the country, while in Lyon, protesters torched the tourist office. In Marseille, the mayor said the town hall had been vandalised and that additional police were being sent to the city following talks with the government.
The protesters said most people were protesting peacefully and put much of the violence down to troublemakers who had set out to cause damage and clash with the police. The Interior Ministry said, however, that violence was increasing, and that there had been "confrontations with law enforcement, looting or attempted looting of shops, attacks on and damage to public buildings." It blamed the unrest on what it described as the "ultra-left".
Holly Evans brings the full report:
Protesters draw parallels with French Revolution
French protesters have chanted that another revolution is underway, with hundreds of protesters arrested as demonstrations sweep across France over the cost of living crisis.
"It's the Revolution − we're taking the Bastille!" shouted protesters as they stormed the mayor’s offices in Marseille, according to Le Monde, drawing comparison to the French Revolution of 1789.
In La Rochelle, marchers held placards reading “revolution or death”, while in Montpellier signs read: “the people will win”.
How mass protests unfolded across France today
Thousands of people spilled onto the streets early this morning to protest falling education standards and the cost of living in France.
Large groups gathered in Paris and Marseille ahead of the official marches and more than 150 arrests were made before midday.
Just a couple of hours later, huge demonstrations erupted across the whole country, with tens of thousands of people taking part.
Police have been out in full force, firing tear gas, using stun grenades, water cannons, and chasing protesters with batons.
French president Emmanuel Macron appealed for “calm” and called on demonstrators to show “respect for people and property”.
According to the Yellow Vests, one of the organisations leading today's protests, there were 1,756 mobilisations taking place on Saturday, including 811 demonstrations.
Masked protesters stormed Marseille's town hall after ramming the doors with security barriers in the morning, and were followed by attacks on town halls in Grenoble and Lille.
Protesters later set fire to the tourism office in Lyon in eastern France and attempted to prevent firefighters from tackling the blaze.
Elsewhere across France, businesses and schools have been vandalised and looted.
Some 272 people had been arrested by mid-afternoon after violent incidents involving hooded individuals, including in Paris, Marseille in the south, Rennes in the northwest, Toulouse in the southwest and Angers in the west, the Interior Ministry said.