Over 4,000 protest in Besançon after police block city center

On October 24, over 4,000 protesters gathered at Parc des Glacis in Besançon after police blocked the city center, marching calmly before dispersing in the late afternoon, with clashes breaking out on the margins in the Battant quarter. The prefecture had banned a planned rally at Place de la Révolution the day before, prompting organizers to shift to an alternate meeting point. Police locked down the central area, preventing demonstrators from entering, while the main procession proceeded peacefully. The protest was part of a broader national mobilization on October 24, with multiple planned gathering spots in Besançon reflecting logistical challenges. Scattered violence occurred away from the main march, though the overall event remained largely orderly.