France Braces for Widespread Protests Amidst Arrests and Warnings
Around 40 individuals detained as security forces prepare for demonstrations, with officials cautioning on the use of intermediate weapons.
Carla Rooney
Around 40 people have been arrested ahead of widespread demonstrations across France.
Protests erupted last month, igniting high schools across Paris' impoverished northern suburbs. Teacher shortages and dilapidated facilities sparked the initial unrest, which then metastasized into a broader national movement.
Demonstrators, many clad in hi-vis vests, now blockade streets. In Marseille, trash cans burn.
The unrest has led to thousands of arrests and hundreds of injuries. Schools have been set ablaze in recent weeks; more than 900 police officers have sustained injuries during these protests.
Serious injuries also plague protesters. A 15-year-old lost a hand; a 16-year-old was blinded.
Lola, a protester, stated, "We are fighting because the cost of living is too harsh, because the price of fuel is too high, because high school pupils are being violently attacked and hurt all over the country just for trying to protest and ask for more teachers and decent learning conditions."
Social media calls revived the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) movement. The CGT, a major labor union, backs the actions.
A large police presence was visible in central Paris near landmarks. Police fired tear gas at protesters in the capital.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned security forces could deploy intermediate weapons, including stun grenades, if violence erupts during Saturday's demonstrations. High public debt pushes French borrowing costs to 20-year highs.
A major demonstration is scheduled in Paris for 14:00 local time. Tens of thousands expect to participate across France.
President Emmanuel Macron attended a Celine Dion concert while protests and riots occurred across the country. Greta Thunberg joined students at a school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis.