French interior ministry figures recorded 320,000 demonstrators across the country on Saturday, October 31, 2026, for the protests against the cost of living and student study conditions, trailing the 550,000 participants counted by authorities during the initial October 17 mobilizations. Organizers put the national turnout at half a million people, highlighting a persistent gap between official tallies and union estimates during a day that coincided with Halloween celebrations and heightened security measures.
Interior Ministry and Organizer Figures Contrast Participation
Ministry of Interior officials reported 70,000 participants in Paris at 17:00 local time, down from the 110,000 counted in the capital the previous week, on October 24, when national attendance reached 410,000. Union organizers countered the official figures by claiming 200,000 marchers in Paris as part of a half-million total nationwide. The demonstrations follow earlier rallies on October 17 and October 24.
Security Deployment and Holiday Enforcement
Laurent Nuñez deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes across France to secure the demonstrations and prevent property damage. Authorities utilized a 2019 law prohibiting face coverings during public demonstrations where public order disturbances occur or are anticipated. Early afternoon figures from the ministry showed 15,000 people participating across 65 separate actions, resulting in 27 arrests by 14:00, compared with 217 arrests at the same hour during the October 24 protests.
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Route Disputes and Court Rulings in Paris
The Council of State overturned a lower administrative court ruling in an overnight decision, replacing a march route from Bastille to Nation with an alternative path imposed by the police prefecture between Porte de Bagnolet and Porte de Charenton. The high court cited a very high risk of major public order disturbances along the central route. Adèle Tellez, co-secretary of the CGT Paris, criticized the decision during a morning interview on BFMTV, arguing that the late route change would create confusion among demonstrators arriving at traditional assembly points.
Tensions and Police Interventions at Dispersion
Parisian marches proceeded largely without major incident early on, drawing figures such as Jean-Luc MĂ©lenchon, before police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds near Porte de Charenton as evening approached. Similar confrontations between security forces and protesters occurred in Marseille, Lyon, and Toulouse. The Ministry of Interior stated that radical elements attempted to infiltrate city centers in Marseille, Lyon, Lille, and Bordeaux to carry out looting and vandalism before police intervention blocked their advance.
Student Union Calls for Further Action Next Week
Student organizations announced plans for continued disruptions, calling for blockades at high schools and universities on Tuesday and Thursday of the following week, before Saturday’s demonstrations concluded.
