Paris: French students took to the streets of Paris on Thursday after a protest that had initially been banned received last-minute authorisation.
Protesters gathered under a heavy police presence, chanting and carrying placards criticising the state, including one reading, “Jail for those who break things? When will there be jail for those who break people?”
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“We mustn’t give up, because for the moment we are not being listened to, and we will carry on until we are heard,” said Lao, a student at the demonstration.
She said protesters knew they could be confronted with violence but should not give in to fear.
One protester addressing police said the prefecture had a “major responsibility” to prevent the situation from escalating, as officers stood facing the crowd.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that "illegitimate" protests would be banned in the coming days and blamed "seditious" ultra-left groups and vandals for last weekend's riots and looting.
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France was rocked on October 17 by some of its worst urban unrest in years, on the fringes of nationwide protests, exposing the depth of public anger and raising questions about the security services' ability to keep order.
The unrest has laid bare a deeper malaise in France, where soaring energy costs, pressure on household budgets and concerns over deteriorating public services have fuelled growing frustration among workers and younger people.
