Mass protests challenge Macron as French police use tear gas and water cannons

Key Points:

• Over 100,000 people marched in Paris protesting school funding cuts and rising living costs, challenging President Macron’s government amid largely peaceful demonstrations that ended in clashes with police near the march’s endpoint.
• Police used tear gas and water cannons in Paris and other cities, resulting in 64 arrests, including six minors, mostly for suspected weapons offenses or preparing violence; the government deployed up to 70,000 officers nationwide to manage protests.
• The protests, initially sparked by high school staff shortages, have expanded into a national movement involving students, union members, and workers demanding better education, higher wages, and relief from inflation-driven cost of living increases.
• Authorities banned some rallies citing security concerns, leading to criticism from trade unions over restrictions on freedom of expression; meanwhile, major museums and shops in Paris closed or boarded up in anticipation of unrest.
• Students demand expanded higher education access, increased funding, and better living support, while workers and activists express frustration with government policies amid Macron’s declining popularity ahead of the presidential election.