Protesters briefly broke into the town hall in Marseille, France’s second-largest city, on Saturday as demonstrations against the rising cost of living spread across the country, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.
Masked demonstrators used security barriers to ram the building’s door, allowing several people to enter.
One sprayed an anarchist “A” symbol on a wall before police intervened, the reporter said. “We’re taking the Bastille,” one protester shouted, invoking the 1789 storming of the Paris fortress that became a landmark of the French Revolution.
The incident came as former members of the Yellow Vest movement joined high school students, university students, farmers, climate activists and trade unionists in protests over living costs, public services and education.
French authorities expected up to 170,000 people to take part nationwide, with around 500 actions and more than 90 demonstrations planned, according to sources close to the Interior Ministry.
Clashes and arrests reported in several cities
In Lyon, police used tear gas to disperse around 100 demonstrators. Authorities in Rennes said protesters had erected burning barricades to block a road.
In Marseille, rubbish bins and scooters briefly obstructed Boulevard du Prado before riot police cleared the route.
The Paris police prefecture said 40 people had been arrested in the metropolitan area by 9.30 am, mainly for carrying prohibited protective equipment or weapons.
Police also reported 21 arrests after around 100 people targeted broadcaster CNews’ headquarters in Paris, blocking access to a car park, throwing projectiles and smashing windows.
Demonstrations were prohibited around several key locations in the capital, including the Élysée Palace, the prime minister’s office and the Champs-Élysées.
Yellow Vests return as discontent widens
The Yellow Vest movement emerged in 2018, initially protesting fuel taxes and the rising cost of living before developing into a broader challenge to government policies and economic inequality.
Saturday’s mobilisation brought together groups with different grievances, including students demanding more education funding and improved study conditions, as well as criticism of police interventions during protests.
In Lille, around 20 demonstrators, including Yellow Vest protesters, gathered outside the Hauts-de-France Regional Council behind a banner declaring that their struggle was continuing.
In Paris, authorities anticipated between 30,000 and 60,000 protesters. The main march was scheduled to leave Place de la République at 2 pm local time and proceed towards Place de Clichy.
Macron urges calm as tensions rise
President Emmanuel Macron called on Friday for calm and respect for people and property during the demonstrations.
The nationwide protests followed weeks of student-led actions and brought together a wider coalition of groups expressing concerns about living costs, public spending and social conditions.
The scale of the planned mobilisation and incidents reported in several cities placed renewed focus on the government’s response to public discontent, while authorities sought to maintain order and prevent further disruption.
