France Sees 1,000 Arrests as Millions Protest Rising Living Costs

In Paris, Tirana, Milan, Rome, Barcelona and Lisbon, protesters converged on Saturday, chanting for affordable housing, education and pension security. Over 410,000 people took to the streets nationwide, organisers claiming almost 800,000 joined the demonstrations.

In France, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported nearly 1,000 arrests in Paris alone; water cannons, tear gas and a Gendarmerie helicopter were deployed as protestors hurled projectiles. Left‑wing presidential hopeful Jean‑Luc Mélenchon condemned the police response, accusing officers of firing into crowds.

Tirana saw 2,500 police and riot units clash with thousands of demonstrators who set fire to the agriculture ministry’s gate and hurled rocks. The clash left more than 300 people injured, including both protestors and officers.

Milan’s demonstration, the largest in Italy, was kept largely peaceful after the deployment of 500 soldiers and 5,000 police. Nine arrests and 371 brief detentions followed, 110 of them minors, while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ordered further troops to the city.

With unrest spreading to Spain and Portugal, the European Union convened an emergency meeting to coordinate security responses. France announced a review of police tactics and a planned increase in security personnel before the next week’s demonstrations.