(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
BERLIN — French authorities arrested 448 people and reported 53 injured police officers on Thursday as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across France to demand higher wages and government action against the rising cost of living.
The French Interior Ministry said the nationwide demonstrations also resulted in 86 fire incidents, although most authorized marches remained largely peaceful.
Authorities reported tensions in several major cities, including Paris, Lyon, Rennes and Toulouse, where security forces were deployed to maintain order.
According to the ministry’s figures as of 6 p.m., approximately 575,000 people participated in the demonstrations nationwide, including 65,000 in Paris.
The figures were revised downward from an earlier estimate of nearly 600,000 participants.
However, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), one of France’s major trade unions, estimated that nearly 1.6 million people joined the nationwide protests, including 350,000 in the capital.
The significant difference between government and union estimates reflected contrasting assessments of the scale of the demonstrations.
Workers demand higher wages
CGT Secretary-General Sophie Binet described the nationwide strike as “extremely effective” and urged the French government to address workers’ demands.
“Nothing will stop us,” Binet declared during the Paris demonstration.
She called for wage increases across all sectors and a 10 percent increase in the national minimum wage to help workers cope with rising living expenses.
The demonstrations highlighted growing pressure on the government to address concerns over wages, purchasing power and working conditions.
In response, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that a social conference involving trade unions and employers’ organizations would be held at Matignon on Monday.
The planned meeting is expected to provide a forum for discussions on labor concerns and possible government responses to the demands raised during the protests.
Schools and universities disrupted
The nationwide strike also affected educational institutions, with several schools and universities reporting disruptions.
France’s Higher Education Ministry said activities were disrupted at 60 of the country’s 184 higher education institutions.
Meanwhile, the SNES-FSU teachers’ union estimated that 52 percent of middle and high school personnel participated in the strike.
Police also intervened to remove student blockades in several cities, including Paris and Bordeaux, according to local media reports.
The demonstrations came amid a broader student protest movement that began in mid-September over concerns about education funding, staffing shortages and learning conditions.
Students and education workers have been calling for greater government investment in schools and universities.
The latest protests have intensified pressure on the French government to address labor and education concerns while maintaining public order.
Authorities have not announced further details regarding the cases involving those arrested during the demonstrations.
