French police clash with protesters in Lyon amid nationwide rallies, public workers' strike
Protests come after weeks of demonstrations over living costs, public services and education
French riot police fired tear gas and charged a group of protesters in the French city of Lyon on Thursday as demonstrations took place across the country in a renewed challenge to President Emmanuel Macron after weeks of unrest.
asserted
demonstrations → clash → unrest
Some of the protesters were seen shouting anti-police slogans and some were dressed all in black, with face coverings.
asserted
some → see → coverings
The Interior Ministry said police in Lyon had been confronted by several hundred hardcore protesters and that the violence had been contained, although tensions remained high.
asserted
tensions → say → protesters
Riot police in Lyon detain protesters during a demonstration for higher wages and in support of the high school protest movement on Thursday.
asserted
police → detain → Thursday
The nationwide protests and a strike by public workers, called by trade unions and backed by student groups, come after demonstrations over living costs, public services and education triggered the worst civil unrest France has seen in years.
asserted
France → call → years
The unrest comes only five months before a presidential election, which could pit far-right candidate Marine Le Pen against hard-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon in a second-round runoff.
uncertain
which → come → runoff
Macron, who is serving his second term and is unpopular, cannot run again.
asserted
who → serve → term
School ablaze after fireworks are hurled
The Interior Ministry said people throwing fireworks had caused a fire at a high school near the city of Toulouse in the southwest on Thursday morning, forcing pupils and staff to evacuate the building while firefighters doused the flames.
"This criminal behavior is an absolute scandal," said Education Minister Edouard Geffray on X.
French high school students and other demonstrators had earlier faced off against riot police in Paris as they blocked a street with rubbish bins on Thursday morning.
A protester dressed as the superhero Deadpool rides a toy unicorn during the Thursday demonstration in Lyon.
asserted
protester → hurl → Lyon
While the demonstrations in Lyon and other cities, including Marseille and Nantes, began in the morning, the main protest in Paris was only scheduled to start at 2 p.m. local time,.
asserted
protest → include → p.m.
The Eiffel Tower was shut on Thursday because of the strike.
asserted
Tower → shut → strike
"The government tried to block the demonstrations.
asserted
government → try → demonstrations
The demonstrations are bigger than ever," Sophie Binet, head of the CGT trade union, told reporters.
asserted
Binet → tell → reporters
She estimated that some 250,000 people were demonstrating across France.
asserted
people → estimate → France
Unity wins," read one banner at the protest in Lyon.
asserted
banner → win → Lyon
Police deploy in large numbers
"Our pay has not kept up with inflation," said Mehdi Dumontroty, a 45-year-old firefighter who was joining the protest in Paris.
asserted
who → deploy → Paris
"What happened this summer proves that we were right when we said we needed more resources to deal with the crisis that we faced," he said, referring to wildfires caused earlier this year by intense heat waves.
asserted
he → happen → waves
Authorities had sought to lower tensions after riots and looting on Oct. 17 caught security forces off guard, leaving damaged shops and public buildings across the country and fuelling criticism of Macron's handling of the crisis.
asserted
riots → seek → crisis
A car burns during a demonstration in Lyon.
asserted
car → burn → Lyon
The French government has defended police tactics while saying any abuses would be investigated.
asserted
abuses → defend → tactics
The Education Ministry said just over 15 per cent of French teaching staff had joined the strike.
asserted
cent → say → strike
Protests drawn into election campaigning
The movement began in September with a protest over staff shortages at a high school southeast of Paris and spread nationwide.
asserted
movement → draw → Paris
It drew students demanding more education funding and workers seeking better pensions and help with soaring fuel prices and other costs.
asserted
It → draw → prices
The rallies come as the campaign to succeed Macron as president next May heats up, with political parties seeking to capitalize on the movement.
uncertain
parties → come → movement
Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
asserted
Macron → bar → term
Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is the favourite to win.
asserted
Pen → win → ?
The Aporia
