France sees 'extremely high level of violence' in cost-of-living protests
France experienced renewed violent clashes during Saturday's cost-of-living protests, with nearly 1,000 arrests nationwide, authorities reported. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez cited an "extremely elevated level of violence" from far-left militants, leaving two people seriously injured in Clermont-Ferrand and Toulouse. Protest numbers varied, with the interior ministry citing 410,000 participants and the CGT union claiming nearly 800,000. Police used tear gas and water cannons in Paris, Lyon, Nantes, and Nice, while some looting occurred in Marseille and Grenoble. Authorities had deployed 70,000 security forces and banned many rallies following last weekend's riots that saw 2,700 arrests. In Orléans, over 10,000 people protested a far-right National Rally party congress, where presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, currently leading polls, is set to deliver a major campaign speech Sunday.