France’s Interior Ministry reported 779 arrests during the October 31 demonstrations and Halloween night. It estimated about 320,000 demonstrators nationwide, against youth unions’ estimate of nearly half a million; Paris prosecutors opened an attempted-murder investigation into an attack on security officers.
France’s Interior Ministry put nationwide arrests during the October 31 demonstrations and Halloween night at 779, updating the provisional evening total of 565, DW said on 1 November.
The marches were the third wave of protests over living costs and deteriorating public services. They brought together school students seeking better conditions, trade unions and yellow-vest protesters, the Guardian said.
The yellow-vest movement began mass protests in November 2018, prompted by fuel prices, living costs and economic inequality; its earlier demands included lower fuel taxes and a higher minimum wage.
The Interior Ministry estimated that about 320,000 people demonstrated nationwide, while youth unions estimated nearly half a million. France 24 published the estimates in its October 31 account of the demonstrations.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the demonstrations were largely peaceful, despite what he called an “extraordinary” level of violence from some groups of rioters. Toward evening, police in several cities used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds joined by masked rioters.
Four police officers and one gendarme were injured in Paris, the Guardian reported. Nuñez said a petrol bomb hit a riot police officer in the city, describing the incident as an “attempted murder”.
Before becoming interior minister, Nuñez served as Paris police prefect from 2022 to 2025 and previously headed France’s domestic intelligence service.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said incendiary devices were thrown at a group of about 15 gendarmes and police officers. It opened a formal investigation for “attempted murder of persons vested with public authority.”
The change from a stable outlook signals greater downgrade risk, not a lower rating. Fitch says weaker growth, worsening public finances and higher borrowing rates make reducing France’s debt pressures harder.
Student protesters plan high school and university blockades on 3 November and 5 November, followed by participation in the workers’ and trade unions’ demonstration.
Sabrine Kharbach of the student organisation Union Étudiante said the protesters would join the 5 November demonstration called by workers and trade unions.
Unions have called on public- and private-sector workers, young people and retirees to strike and demonstrate nationwide on 5 November. Their demands include higher wages, pensions and social benefits.
The joint call published by CGT État identifies CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU as the unions behind the mobilisation.
LCP reported on 21 October that Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was receiving CFDT, CGT, FO, CFTC and CFE-CGC to discuss protecting the freedom to demonstrate, with Nuñez also due to attend; student representatives were not included. After the 17 October protests, President Emmanuel Macron said the government would answer peaceful protesters’ “legitimate demands”; Lecornu subsequently said discussions would continue and asked Labor Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou to work with unions on measures including purchasing power.
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