Protests in France escalated again on Saturday, with clashes between demonstrators and police in Marseille. In Paris, thousands of citizens took to the streets to protest social inequality and the lack of funding for public services. According to The New York Times, tensions rose in some of the cities where demonstrations were organized.
In Marseille, clashes erupted near the Porte d'Aix, where an authorized march was scheduled to end. Young people, many of whom covered their faces with gas masks or ski masks, dragged large metal plates onto the street to erect barricades. Some protesters threw stones and bottles at police, while others set off fireworks at officers. Police responded by firing large amounts of tear gas and, at one point, advanced with shields and rubber batons to push back the crowd. Tear gas also flooded an alleyway near the demonstration area, forcing protesters to retreat hastily to the square.
In Paris, the location of the demonstration was changed at the last minute. Despite this, thousands of citizens gathered in the designated area in the southeastern part of the capital. According to The New York Times, the change of the protest location caused dissatisfaction among some participants, who considered the decision an attempt to limit the visibility of the demonstration.
