Fewer arrests in France as German cities see fresh clashes

France reported a calmer weekend of cost-of-living protests compared to previous weeks.

Police in Paris detained 779 people through Saturday night. That number is well below the 2,628 arrests recorded on October 17 and the 1,314 arrests from the prior weekend. The drop suggests a shift in the dynamic of the demonstrations.

Violence still occurred in Paris, though it was less severe than in late October. Rioters threw Molotov cocktails at police in the eastern part of the city on Saturday. Three officers were injured and one car was set on fire. On the opposite side of the city, masked groups launched fireworks at agents near the Eiffel Tower. Police pushed back repeatedly, causing tourists to flee the area.

Authorities prepared for a large turnout by deploying approximately 70,000 police officers across the country. A national police official told The Associated Press that forces were ready for both peaceful marchers and rioters. The official spoke under condition of anonymity, citing police policy on public identification. Paris and Marseille police reported attacks on a small number of shops, but noted the damage was minor.

Tension remains high as schools reopen on Monday. Student groups and unions have called for new national protests on Tuesday and Thursday. The police expect more activity once the institutes, which are central to the movement, resume classes.

Germany faced different challenges during its nationwide protests on Saturday. More than 100,000 people, mostly young, marched peacefully in various cities. They demanded more government spending on education, housing, and environmental protection. However, the mood turned violent in some urban centers during the night.

In Frankfurt, rioters attacked police in the city center and looted shops. More than 100 officers were injured. Police detained 54 individuals, with ages ranging from 13 to 29. Seventeen shops suffered damage, and five were looted. The situation stabilized in the early hours of Sunday after police cordoned off a section of the center.

Boris Rhein, the governor of Hesse, called the violent excesses in Frankfurt shocking. He stated that those who act like the attackers place themselves outside society. In Cologne, police used water cannons to disperse crowds. In Berlin, protesters threw bottles and pyrotechnics at officers.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt accused violent left-wing groups and rioters from the immigrant community of hijacking the peaceful marches. He told the daily Bild on Sunday that rioters and looters would be identified and held accountable. The organizers, a youth initiative known as Generation Z Will Take Charge, posted on Instagram to distance themselves from violence committed by individuals not part of the organized protests.