French Police Use Tear Gas to Disperse 320,000 Protesters Across the Country

The French Ministry of the Interior announced that over 320,000 people participated in public protests across various parts of France on Saturday. This number is significantly higher than the ministry’s initial estimate of 15,000.

Al Jazeera reported clashes between police forces and protesters in Paris and the streets of Lyon. Security forces used tear gas to control and suppress the demonstrations.

Simultaneously, French student unions have called for the closure of universities and high schools starting Tuesday to continue their protests. A spokesperson for the student union urged students to respond to the call to block educational institutions and to join the demonstrations organized by workers on November 5.

These unions hope that a larger turnout this time will demonstrate the legitimacy of their demands. The actions of students are viewed as part of a broader wave of public discontent with the government’s policies in France.