Police fired tear gas and stun grenades in Paris on Saturday evening as the third weekend of cost-of-living protests turned violent, after a largely peaceful day that drew an estimated 320,000 people across France.
France’s highest administrative court has upheld a ban on the main Paris protest marching through central Paris, redirecting Saturday’s demonstration to the capital’s eastern edge as 70,000 officers deploy nationwide.
France will deploy 70,000 police and gendarmes for protests on Saturday, 31 October, after ministers warned of a very high risk of disorder as anger over the cost of living and public services spreads.
The euro zone economy grew 0.4% in the third quarter, twice the pace forecast by economists, as investment and household spending held up despite expensive energy — though France contracted and the European Central Bank warns tougher months may lie ahead.
