France's protests over household costs and school conditions drew sharply different reported crowd estimates Saturday, while the government mounted a 70,000-person security operation following violence at demonstrations the previous weekend.
The Interior Ministry's reported nationwide count was 410,000; the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) put its estimate near 800,000. In Paris, authorities' reported count was 110,000, compared with 250,000 from the CGT. The Interior Ministry's written security statement did not publish an attendance figure.
The Paris Police Prefecture said projectiles were thrown near Porte de Vincennes, the march's endpoint, prompting officers to use tear gas and a water cannon. AFP described confrontations in six cities: Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse. The Associated Press (AP) also reported tear gas in Lyon and Strasbourg and water cannons in Nice and Nantes.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that 70,000 police and gendarmes would be mobilized nationwide, alongside about 20 Centaure armored vehicles and 15 water-cannon vehicles. The Interior Ministry said the plan included special units RAID, BRI and GIGN, as well as controls at transport hubs.
The ministry linked the security measures to the Oct. 17 unrest, citing attacks on public buildings, looting and violence against police. It called for force to be used proportionately; the ministry cited looting of shops but did not say how many businesses were affected.
The Associated Press traced the movement to a staffing dispute at a secondary school in the Paris region that brought students out to protest last month. Later demonstrations included demands for better schools and workers' calls for higher wages and pensions. President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged concerns about school facilities, timetables, teacher coverage and student guidance.
Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said the education minister is expected to present initial proposals Monday, Oct. 26. AFP reported that Yellow Vest organizers called for another protest on Oct. 31. The Associated Press has described the movement's role in protests over a proposed fuel-tax increase in 2018 and 2019.
