The protests that opened Saturday in Paris turned from peaceful to chaotic after nightfall, following a flash‑point when demonstrators launched fireworks, objects, and other incendiary devices at police forces on the streets of the capital.
To curb the unrest, roughly 70,000 riot‑police officers were deployed across France, deploying tear gas and powerful water cannons in an effort to disperse the crowds. According to the Interior Ministry, about 400,000 people participated in the demonstrations across the country, with nearly 1,000 arrests made.
Europe correspondent Nick Beake—reporting live from Paris—notes that the violence shows few signs of abating in the near future, as tensions between demonstrators and law enforcers remain high.
