Europe's Housing Crisis Sparks Mass Protests and Police Clashes

Mass protests and riots have swept across Europe, from Paris to Lisbon, with hundreds of thousands demanding solutions to the housing crisis, inflation, and high living costs. Violent clashes with police have resulted in over a thousand arrests. France is the epicenter, with up to 800,000 marchers and 70,000 police deployed. Radical youth clashed with authorities, leading to tear gas, water cannons, partial curfews, and nearly 1,000 arrests. Spain, Italy, Portugal, Albania, and Belgium also saw riots over housing, fuel prices, and living standards. The unrest reflects deep generational anger, with many young protesters citing bleak futures, unaffordable rents, and systemic inequality. Governments have responded with military units, mass detentions, and crackdowns on encampments.