Clashes return in France: protests turn violent, school near Toulouse set ablaze

Violent street clashes erupted again across France as large-scale protests over wages, living costs and public services escalated into confrontations with police and a blaze at a high school outside Toulouse.

In Lyon demonstrators clashed with officers who responded with tear gas. Near Toulouse, a fire broke out at a secondary school after pyrotechnic devices were thrown, authorities reported. The nationwide strike also forced the closure of the Eiffel Tower for the day.

Authorities deployed roughly 70,000 police officers across the country. Interior Minister Laurent Nune said the number of demonstrators rose sharply during the afternoon, "from 270,000 to 600,000 by the evening."

What the unions want

Five unions that organised the protests represent workers in both the public and private sectors. They are demanding government action to halt the deterioration of public services and to ease the burden of rising prices on households.

Workers from the public and private sectors were joined by students, increasing the size and scope of demonstrations in multiple cities. Police used crowd-control measures in several locations as rallies grew more intense.

Events remain fluid as emergency services continue to respond to incidents such as the school fire near Toulouse, and unions have signalled the potential for further mobilisation while negotiations with the government remain unresolved.

Photo: press material from the event