Nearly 1,000 arrested as protests sweep France

Nearly 1,000 people were arrested Saturday as fresh clashes erupted across France during cost-of-living protests, with authorities deploying over 70,000 security forces to confront what the interior minister called "extremely elevated" violence from ultra-left extremists. Riot police fired tear gas in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Lille, Toulouse, Montpellier and Nantes, with two people seriously injured, including a man in Toulouse reportedly losing fingers. Demonstrations drew between 410,000 and 800,000 people nationwide, according to authorities and the CGT union, following last week's rioting that saw 2,700 arrests. The unrest comes six months before presidential elections, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen leading polls. Authorities banned non-union demonstrations and imposed partial curfews, while far-right activists clashed with ultra-left militants in Cannes and Montpellier. The Yellow Vests movement called for more protests October 31, and far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon warned demonstrations would continue weekly.