French protesters rally nationwide against rising prices and inequality

French protesters took to the streets across France on Saturday in a major nationwide demonstration against rising prices and social inequality, with large police presence in central Paris and hundreds of protests planned nationwide. The movement began last month at high schools in Paris' poor northern suburbs, where anger over teacher absences and shabby facilities expanded into broader grievances about inequality, weak public spending, and falling standards. Protesters blocked streets in hi-vis vests, echoing the Yellow Vest unrest, while some clashes occurred in Marseille. The protests come as President Emmanuel Macron nears the end of his presidency amid a polarized electorate and rising borrowing costs, with police injuries reported and authorities investigating alleged violence. Social media calls for past protest movements to join suggest the demonstrations could grow significantly.