The key facts
- The number of people detained at protests in France has reached 565 — Interior Ministry data as reported by TF1
- In Paris, protesters threw a Molotov cocktail at police officers; one officer was injured
- Estimates of the number of participants differ: the Interior Ministry — about 320,000, the organizers — almost 500,000
Mass detentions and an injured police officer
The number of people detained during mass protests against the rising cost of living in France has reached 565. This was reported by the TV channel TF1 , citing data from the French Interior Ministry.
Attack on law enforcement officers in Paris
According to a report by the National Gendarmerie, in Paris participants of the riots pelted law enforcement officers with bottles filled with a flammable mixture, as a result of which one officer was injured. Footage published on social media shows the flammable mixture hitting a police cordon, after which an officer's clothing catches fire. The gendarmerie's statement said: «Unacceptable violence is being committed against law enforcement agencies». The agency condemned the attack, calling violence against security forces unacceptable.
Discrepancy in estimates of the number of participants
The rally itself took place on October 31. According to Interior Ministry data cited by Life.ru, the protests drew about 320,000 participants across the country, including 70,000 in Paris. The organizers estimate the scale as significantly higher: according to calculations by the association of student and youth trade unions, nearly 500,000 people protested across the country, and about 200,000 in the capital. Thus, the gap between the official and the organizers' estimates reaches approximately 180,000 people nationwide.
