Italian police use batons, French fire tear gas as protests continue

theage.com.au [$] —

Police clashed with protesters in France and Italy during massive rallies on Saturday, one week after similar gatherings led to riots and looting in major cities. Officers used batons in Turin and tear gas in French cities to prevent violence. In Italy, protesters tried to force their way into Rome's Colosseum but were escorted out, while French protests were smaller and less violent than the previous weekend, when 3,000 stores were damaged. French authorities estimated 410,000 people joined Saturday's protests, down from 550,000, with about 110,000 in Paris and at least 1,000 arrests nationwide. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez blamed far-left activists and criminal gangs for trouble, while investigators revealed the alleged gunman in a Paris suburb shooting had a criminal history. Protests also occurred in Brussels, Madrid, and Lisbon over cost-of-living concerns, with housing costs a key issue in Spain and Portugal.


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Italian police use batons, French fire tear gas as protests continue | News Minimalist