French Protests Draw Hundreds of Thousands Across Major Cities

Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched in dozens of French cities on Saturday, October 24, with youth at the forefront, defying demonstration bans. The CGT union reported nearly 800,000 participants nationwide, while the Interior Ministry estimated 410,000, including 250,000 in Paris. Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds in Paris, Bordeaux, Lille, Toulouse, Nantes, and Clermont-Ferrand. In Nantes, clashes erupted after protesters crossed the Loire River into a banned zone, where authorities deployed chemical agents. In Strasbourg, an unauthorized protest focused on the cost of living, while over 10,000 people gathered in Rennes despite rain. Demonstrators included Spider-Man costumes, One Piece flags, unions, Yellow Vests, and ordinary citizens.