More Than 500 Arrested as France Protests Turn Violent

More than 500 people have been arrested across France following clashes between police and protesters during a third consecutive weekend of demonstrations over the rising cost of living.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across the country on Saturday, with many joining marches in Halloween costumes. While most demonstrations remained peaceful, violence erupted in Paris and several other cities.

The French Interior Ministry said 565 people had been arrested nationwide. Four police officers and one gendarme were injured in Paris, with three suffering burns from Molotov cocktails.

Police used tear gas, water cannon and baton charges to disperse groups of masked protesters who attacked security forces with projectiles and paving stones.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the demonstrations had largely proceeded peacefully but condemned what he described as an extraordinary level of violence by radical groups. He also described a Molotov cocktail attack on a police officer as attempted murder.

Authorities reported disturbances in cities including Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Marseille.

Estimates of participation varied, with authorities putting the nationwide turnout at around 320,000, including 70,000 in Paris, while youth organisations estimated nearly half a million participants.

The protests, involving trade unions, students and Yellow Vest activists, initially focused on rising living costs, inequality and education cuts. Demands have since expanded to include civil liberties and the right to demonstrate.

The demonstrations come amid growing political tensions in France, with presidential elections scheduled in less than six months and the country facing economic and public debt pressures.