About 320,000 people demonstrated across France on Saturday 31 October, according to the Interior Ministry, in a third consecutive weekend of protests over the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services. Around 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed nationwide, and the Paris march was moved outside the city centre after a last-minute court battle over its route.

The turnout was lower than the previous weekends, which the ministry put at 410,000 on 24 October and more than 500,000 on 17 October. Most marchers remained peaceful, but clashes broke out as marches dispersed in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities, where some protesters threw projectiles and police responded with tear gas and other crowd-control measures. Arrest figures varied by time and source, with official counts reported during the evening ranging from around 290 to more than 500.

What happens next

Organisers and unions have signalled further action, including renewed blockades of schools and universities and a national strike on 5 November that could disrupt transport. The protests, largely youth-led and union-backed, combine anger over household costs with complaints about schools and access to higher education. The government has warned of a high risk of disorder after dark, and the coming strike will test whether the movement sustains its momentum into a fourth week.