Hundreds of thousands protest cost of living across France: 448 arrested, 53 police injured

Hundreds of thousands of people protested across France on Thursday (5 November) against the rising cost of living, low wages and inequality. Workers, teachers, students and people from many professions left their workplaces to join strikes and take to the streets in cities across the country.

According to an Al Jazeera report, France's interior ministry put the number taking part nationwide at 575,000. However, the CGT union, one of the organisers of the movement, claimed the number of participants was 1.6 million.

The interior ministry said at least 448 people were arrested during the protests and 53 police officers were injured. In the renewed movement against President Emmanuel Macron's government, clashes between protesters and police also took place in several cities.

The protesters' demands include raising the minimum wage, increasing pay for workers in all sectors, changes to the tax system and ensuring a better environment in educational institutions.

Addressing protesters in Paris, CGT union leader Sophie Binet said the question was not whether workers would win, but how much of their demands they would be able to secure.

Protests have continued in France since last September. They began with a student movement against the poor condition of public schools and lack of facilities. Later they grew into a larger movement against the rising cost of living and social inequality. On 17 October the country also saw its most serious rioting in several years.

Various unions representing teachers, rail workers, hospital staff and postal workers took part in Thursday's one-day strike. Some workers from the energy sector also joined them.

In Paris the protest atmosphere was festive at first. When the march began in the afternoon from Place de la Republique, participants sang the French national anthem, 'La Marseillaise', as they moved forward. But about two hours after the march began, some protesters at the front clashed with police. Police fired tear gas to control the situation. Several shops and premises were vandalised. Local authorities said several schools around Paris were damaged and a school in the city centre was set on fire.

Clashes between protesters and police also took place in Lyon. There, several hundred protesters wearing black clothes and masks confronted police. Police fired tear gas and moved to disperse them. A car was set on fire during the clashes.

The government deployed 70,000 police officers across the country to prevent violence around the protests. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had warned in advance of tough action against violence. However, criticism has continued over allegations of excessive police force and the government's steps to control the protests.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is due to sit down with unions for talks on pay and the cost of living. He will meet representatives of unions and employers next Monday.

The movement has created new pressure on the Macron government five months before next April's election. Recent opinion polls show far-right leader Marine Le Pen ahead in next April's presidential election. The discontent in France is part of a wider picture of concern over living standards spreading across other European countries; in recent weeks young people have held similar protests in Germany, Spain, Greece and Italy as well.