France Gripped by Unrest as Up to 800,000 March Against Cost of Living

On October 17, 2026, between 550,000 (Interior Ministry) and 800,000 people (trade union organisers) marched across France against the rising cost of living and deteriorating school conditions, in the largest protests to shake the country in years. The demonstrations, initially sparked by student grievances and amplified online by Yellow Vest-affiliated groups, united high school and university students with the CGT and other major trade unions. Protests turned violent in many cities: approximately 1,200 people were arrested nationwide and 150 police officers were injured. A 17-year-old protester lost his hand in Saint-Étienne after a crowd-control grenade detonated nearby, prompting the Interior Minister to ban that type of grenade. The town hall in Limoges was severely damaged by fire. In Paris, protesters stormed the 10th-arrondissement town hall, trapping around 100 people inside; an elderly couple was robbed and assaulted in the city centre. President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting and vowed to prosecute anyone responsible for vandalism, looting, or attacks on public buildings. Prime Minister Lecornu said police had faced violence of extreme intensity and deserved public backing. Government ministers accused hard-left party La France Insoumise of deliberately inciting the unrest; intelligence briefings were presented at the cabinet crisis session. On October 18, as France entered the Toussaint school holidays, nationwide cleanup began and political recriminations intensified, with student leaders announcing the protests were just getting started.