Tens of Thousands March Through Paris Against Rising Living Costs

A vast crowd of protesters filled a tree-lined boulevard in Paris on Saturday, October 24, as a second weekend of nationwide demonstrations against the rising cost of living swept across France.

X user Francisco Guerrier filmed the march stretching far into the distance, with demonstrators waving red, green and rainbow flags and holding up handmade placards as they walked.

“Impressive procession in Paris,” the filmer wrote.

The Paris march set off at 2 p.m. from Porte d’Italie towards Porte de Vincennes, after police authorities scrapped the route between Bastille and Nation the night before, citing a high risk of violence. A court rejected the organisers’ appeal on Saturday morning. Police put the crowd at about 40,000 people, and the march was reported to be moving calmly under a heavy police presence.

Unions, students, high school pupils and Yellow Vest protesters joined the day of action, a week after the first mobilisation against high prices. The interior minister said 135 people had been arrested across the country by midday, while protests went ahead in Lyon, Nantes and Bordeaux despite bans, with police using tear gas and a water cannon in Nantes.