779 Arrests in France as Protests Show Calm

French police recorded 779 arrests during the latest round of protests over living costs.

The number is far lower than the 2,628 arrests made on Oct. 17, when rioters torched a city hall and looted more than 2,000 stores. Violence also decreased compared to the Oct. 24 demonstrations, which saw 1,314 arrests. Officials said the reduction in arrests and damage offered some relief after a turbulent autumn.

Troublemakers still caused damage in Paris. Rioters threw Molotov cocktails at police on the city's eastern edge, injuring three officers and setting a car on fire. In another part of the city, masked groups hurled fireworks at officers near the Eiffel Tower. Police charged repeatedly, causing tourists to flee the area. Paris and Marseille police reported that a handful of shops were targeted, but no major structural damage occurred.

Authorities deployed about 70,000 police officers across the country for the weekend. A national police official told The Associated Press that planners expected a mix of peaceful marchers and troublemakers. The official spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to be named publicly.

Tensions are expected to rise again this week. High schools, which were central to the movement, reopen Monday after an autumn break. Student groups and labor unions have called for new nationwide protests on Tuesday and Thursday. Police are preparing for these upcoming demonstrations to manage potential friction.

Similar unrest occurred in Germany, where more than 100,000 people protested peacefully on Saturday. In Frankfurt, rioters attacked police and looted stores after the main demonstration ended. Police reported that more than 100 officers were injured and 54 people, aged 13 to 29, were detained. Seventeen stores were damaged in the city, five of which were looted. The situation in Frankfurt calmed by early Sunday morning after police cordoned off the city center.

Boris Rhein, the governor of Hesse, said he was shocked by the violence in Frankfurt. He stated that those who behave like the attackers place themselves outside society. In Portugal, police removed protesters by force from a square in Lisbon on Sunday morning. Hundreds of people had camped out in Rossio following a march for affordable housing. Police removed tents and detained a few individuals as they cleared the area.