Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of French cities on Saturday for another nationwide day of protest. The demonstrations began in a festive mood, with some participants wearing Halloween costumes, but later ended in clashes with police.
The French government estimated turnout at 320,000 people, a figure below that recorded during the previous two Saturdays of protests. The unrest was also less severe than on Oct. 17, when arson and looting spread through Paris and other cities.
Despite the lower attendance, the demonstrations and subsequent disorder showed that France continues to face significant unrest nearly two months after a protest movement began with rebellious high school students.
Police in several cities used tear gas and water cannons to disperse some protesters after initially peaceful rallies. In Paris, between 200 and 300 masked people dressed in black confronted officers into the evening, throwing Molotov cocktails, fireworks and other projectiles.
The confrontations contrasted with the lighter tone earlier in the day. Participants used the coincidence with Halloween to wear costumes including Spider-Man, Zorro, The Pink Panther and Marie Antoinette. Some danced while marching, and one person dressed as Marie Antoinette carried a sign reading, “Let them eat cake.”
French officials had warned that Halloween could create additional risks by allowing demonstrators to conceal their faces. Authorities deployed 70,000 police officers, matching the previous week’s figure, and altered protest routes to keep demonstrators away from city centers.
Sources: The New York Times World.