France arrests nearly 1,000 during nationwide protests over living costs and education

Nearly 1,000 people were arrested across France during Saturday's demonstrations over rising living costs and poor education standards, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, adding that the figure was expected to rise. The arrests came as large crowds gathered in cities nationwide for a new wave of protests.

According to the Interior Ministry, around 410,000 people took part in the demonstrations across France on Saturday. The CGT trade union, however, put the nationwide turnout at 800,000, a figure considerably higher than the ministry's count. The discrepancy between the two estimates is common in French protest reporting, where unions and authorities often publish differing tallies.

Nunez also urged operators to be ready to suspend access to platforms including TikTok, Instagram and X in the event of what officials described as violence during Yellow Vests protests. The statement signals that authorities are preparing for the possibility of further unrest and are considering measures affecting social media access during demonstrations.

The protests reflect public discontent over the cost of living and education standards, the two issues cited as the focus of Saturday's demonstrations. The Yellow Vests movement, which previously staged widespread protests in France, was referenced in connection with the latest wave of demonstrations.

According to Mehr News, citing Anadolu Agency, the arrests and turnout figures were announced by the interior minister as the demonstrations unfolded across the country. The report added that the number of arrests was expected to increase further.