Police fire tear gas as 400,000 protest across France over costs and school funding

More than 100,000 people marched in Paris on Saturday over school funding and living costs, with police firing tear gas and water cannons as protests spread across France. Authorities confined the march to the city's southeastern edge to prevent a repeat of last weekend's violence and looting. Police used tear gas in several cities including Lyons, Clermont-Ferrand and Strasbourg, and water cannons in Nice and Nantes. The Paris prosecutor's office reported 64 arrests, including six minors, mostly for suspected weapons offences or preparing violence. Interior minister Laurent Nuñez deployed up to 70,000 officers nationwide, backed by helicopters and armoured vehicles. The unrest challenges President Emmanuel Macron's authority months before the May election, with his popularity at its lowest since 2017. Last Saturday, over 500,000 people took to the streets and some 3,000 shops were damaged or looted. Museums and the Art Basel fair cancelled weekend programmes, while the far-right National Rally urged voters to channel anger into support for them.