Violent clashes erupted between police and protesters across France on Saturday, as hundreds of thousands of people protested against rising costs and declining public services in some of the country’s most destructive unrest in years.
The Interior Ministry said at least 272 people had been arrested after violent incidents involving hooded individuals, including in Paris, Marseille in the south, Toulouse in the southwest, Angers in the west and Lyon in east-central France.
Belgium, Portugal and Italy also faced smaller-scale protests on Saturday as living costs rise in Europe, while protesters in Albania again rallied against perceived government corruption, a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the government would not be “intimidated” by violence and blamed the unrest on the “far-left” and criminals just months before a presidential election next year.