Five French trade unions staged a joint day of nationwide strike action on Thursday, bringing hundreds of thousands onto the streets in a protest movement centred on the rising cost of living and demands for higher wages.
France’s Ministry of the Interior put turnout at about 600,000 people across nearly 200 demonstrations, Al Jazeera reported. Hiru News, reporting before the marches concluded, said organisers had expected between 500,000 and 700,000 participants.
Who took part
The action drew together several strands of protest that have run through France since the autumn. Demonstrations begun by school and university students over conditions in the education sector were joined by Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vest) activists and by public and private sector workers.
Education, rail, hospital and postal unions called strikes. The Ministry of National Education said about 16 percent of teachers stopped work. Hiru reported disruption to transport, education and energy.
Policing and unrest
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said more than 70,000 police officers were deployed, supported by armoured vehicles, drones and helicopters — a figure Hiru also carried.
The marches were largely peaceful. The interior ministry said several hundred masked “black bloc” protesters gathered in Lyon, where tear gas was fired and at least one vehicle was set alight.
Thursday’s strike is the latest in a sustained wave of French protests over living costs, fuel prices and deteriorating public services, following earlier mass mobilisations in October.
