European Protests Cool as Schools Reopen

French authorities reported a decline in protest violence on Sunday as high schools prepare to reopen this week. Police arrested 779 people in France as of Saturday night, a number well below the 2,628 arrests recorded on Oct. 17 and the 1,314 arrests from the previous weekend. The reduction in arrests follows mass demonstrations driven by rising living costs.

Violence remained sporadic in Paris. Rioters threw Molotov cocktails at police on the city’s eastern edge, injuring three officers and igniting a vehicle. At a viewpoint facing the Eiffel Tower, masked groups launched fireworks at law enforcement. Police charged repeatedly, causing tourists to flee the area. Despite these incidents, authorities noted that fewer shops were targeted than in prior demonstrations, with no major damage reported.

A national police official told The Associated Press that authorities deployed approximately 70,000 officers across the country. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to police policy, indicated that preparations are underway for new demonstrations on Tuesday and Thursday. Student groups and labor unions have called for these additional nationwide protests. The timing coincides with the return of students to high schools after autumn break.

In Germany, nationwide protests on Saturday drew more than 100,000 mostly young participants. The marchers demanded increased government investment in education, housing, and climate protection. While the daytime marches were largely peaceful, unrest broke out in several cities during the evening. In Frankfurt, rioters attacked police downtown and looted stores. More than 100 officers were injured, and police detained 54 people, with ages ranging from 13 to 29. Seventeen stores sustained damage, and five were looted.

Boris Rhein, the governor of Hesse, described the violent excesses in Frankfurt as shocking. He stated that those who acted like the attackers in downtown Frankfurt place themselves outside society. Police cordoned off the city center, and the situation stabilized by early Sunday morning. Similar incidents occurred in Cologne and Berlin, where police used water cannons and protesters threw bottles and pyrotechnics at officers.

The youth initiative Gen Z regelt, which organized the German protests, issued a statement on Instagram. The group distanced itself from any form of violence, including acts committed by individuals not part of the official demonstrations. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt accused violent left-wing groups and troublemakers from the immigrant community of hijacking the peaceful marches. He told the daily paper Bild that rioters and looters will be identified and held accountable.

Protests in Portugal focused on housing affordability. Thousands marched through Lisbon on Saturday, inspired by similar movements in Spain. At the end of the march, a few hundred protesters camped in Rossio square. Police removed tents and pushed people away early Sunday, detaining a few individuals. The demonstrations in Portugal have continued for several weeks as costs rise.