France Protests Over Living Costs Spread Nationwide

Protesters across France demonstrated Saturday against rising living costs, joining ongoing high school student grievances over education conditions after weeks of school blockades. The mobilization follows social media calls to revive the yellow vest movement from 2018. The CGT labor union backs the protests, demanding higher wages and pensions, lower prices, and protected public services. President Emmanuel Macron appealed Friday for calm and respect, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez expected hundreds of actions and over 80 marches nationwide, with some Paris gatherings banned. The protests come amid a turbulent school year marked by thousands of arrests, hundreds of injuries, and school fires. A police stun grenade was suspended after a 15-year-old lost a hand, and activist Greta Thunberg recently joined students in Saint-Denis.