France protests continue as 170,000 rally against living costs and schools

Tens of thousands of people protested across France on Saturday against rising living costs and poor school conditions, with authorities estimating around 170,000 participants nationwide, including 60,000 in Paris. This marks the fourth consecutive weekend of demonstrations. The protests, organized by yellow vests and other groups, come two days after union-led strikes. Authorities banned a yellow vest march near the presidential palace and parliament, prompting organizers to urge defiance. Police have increased checks at train stations to prevent a repeat of October 17 riots. The movement began in September with student protests over teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms, later joined by university students concerned about AI's impact on jobs. The government faces limited options due to high debt and deficit, while far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon planned to address the crowd.