French Historian Calls Protests 'Quite Exceptional' Six Months Before Election

Nearly 800,000 people, according to the CGT union, or 410,000 per the interior ministry, mobilized across France on Saturday, October 24, in a second day of protest against the high cost of living and for education, which saw new incidents late in the afternoon. The protest, uniting unions, Yellow Vests, high school students, and university students, occurred nationwide. Historian Stéphane Sirot noted significant turnout despite exceptional security measures, including protest bans and route changes, which he said discouraged some potential participants. Sirot, a specialist in social movements, described the ongoing unrest as "quite exceptional" and unprecedented, occurring just six months before the presidential election. The mobilization follows images of incidents from the previous week's protests on October 17.