French Unrest Spreads Across Europe

France’s student-led protests began in mid-September as a teachers’ strike over staffing. They have since grown into the country’s greatest unrest in years, with violent riots causing major destruction to French infrastructure.

This Halloween weekend marked the third week of rioting, and according to the Interior Ministry, the demonstrations proceeded peacefully with 320,000 participants. Fearing a possible Halloween pretext, the French government prepared to limit the damages, instructing the marchers to stay out of the city centers and placing a curfew on minors.

The most violent night of the French riots thus far occurred on October 17. Roughly 550,000 people marched into Paris, Lyon, and Marseille while masked groups hijacked the marches by looting shops and torching vehicles.