By Basant El-Faramawy
Massive protests erupted across Europe on Halloween as demonstrators took to the streets over soaring living costs and strained public services, with police bracing for potential violence after recent looting and riots.
France sees largest demonstrations
Some 320,000 people demonstrated across France on Saturday, including 70,000 in Paris, according to the Interior Ministry. Authorities reported 296 arrests by 6 p.m. local time, while 70,000 police officers were deployed following some of the worst rioting in decades. The unrest began last month when student protests over education conditions expanded into broader anger over living costs and social security. Unions and the Yellow Vests movement, which emerged in 2018 against fuel taxes, later joined the demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned of a "very high risk" of unrest and said protests would be barred from city centers.
Germany expects 160,000 protesters
More than 160,000 people were expected to join demonstrations organized by the campaign group Gen Z regelt in 34 German cities, including Berlin and Frankfurt. Protesters demanded increased spending on schools, climate protection, and housing, and opposed plans to reintroduce mandatory military service. Hesse Interior Minister Roman Poseck cited the French unrest as a cautionary example. Berlin deployed an additional 1,500 officers, with crowds gathering at the Brandenburg Gate.
Italy deploys army in Milan
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government deployed 500 army troops alongside police in Milan until year-end after masked protesters looted stores and threw projectiles at officers earlier this month. Tens of thousands marched in Rome and other cities on Friday. The demonstrations were largely peaceful, though police used water cannons and charged to disperse some groups. A 20-year-old medical student, identified only as Luca, said wages have failed to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living.
Protests spread across continent
A large tent encampment has occupied a square in Madrid since late last month, while thousands protested in Lisbon. Tear gas and water cannons were used against black-clad demonstrators in Brussels. In the United Kingdom, hundreds gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in London in support of the banned group Palestine Action. Student-led activism in Serbia also contributed to the ousting of the country's long-time leader at the ballot box.
