French police fire tear gas as protests over cost of living spread to Marseille and Paris

Police fired tear gas at protesters in Paris and Marseille as demonstrators briefly broke into Marseille's town hall during nationwide protests against the cost of living in France. Masked protesters rammed the town hall door with barriers, with one spray-painting an anarchist symbol before police intervened. Clashes in Paris and Marseille involved projectiles and tear gas, with hundreds of protests planned nationwide. The movement began last month at Paris high schools over teacher absences and facilities, expanding into broader anger over inequality and public spending. President Emmanuel Macron faces a polarized electorate amid rising borrowing costs and police violence allegations.