Arrests in France's Weekend Mass Protests Pass 1,300: At Least 50 Officers Hurt as Tensions Continue

The number of arrests following the weekend's mass protests across France has risen to at least 1,300. The interior ministry said on Sunday that the arrests were made on the sidelines of Saturday's protests, and that at least 50 police officers and three protesters were hurt in clashes.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets on Saturday in a second round of protests against the deterioration of the education system, the rising cost of living and growing inequality. Most of the protests were peaceful, but at night clashes broke out between demonstrators and police in Paris and several other cities, with mass arrests continuing through the day.

Earlier, around one thousand arrests had been reported from the same day's protests. The interior ministry's updated count on Sunday put the figure at at least 1,300, while the tally of at least 50 injured officers also gives a clearer picture of the intensity of the clashes.

The government had deployed more than 70,000 police and paramilitary personnel to keep the situation under control. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had earlier said overall violence was lower than the previous week, when around 2,700 people were arrested and many shops were looted.

In the capital Paris, the main march ended peacefully, but towards the end several thousand hardline activists gathered and clashed with police for more than two hours. Extra security at shopping centres and businesses kept damage far lower this time.

In Cannes and Montpellier, far-right activists were also seen taking to the streets for the first time, adding a new dimension to the protests. The interior ministry has ordered police to remain on maximum alert through Sunday.

The protests began with demands from high school students, who called for better conditions in schools and an end to staff shortages. The movement later turned violent in places, and trade unions and opposition parties joined Saturday's demonstrations over the rising cost of living.

Large protests also took place the same day in Italy and many other European cities, so the wave of unrest is no longer confined to France. The youth-led street movement has created fresh pressure for governments across Europe.

With the updated arrest figures and the count of injured officers now published, the scale of the protests is being debated anew. The government argues for maintaining law and order, while protesters say the street pressure will not ease until real steps are taken on education, living costs and inequality.

All eyes are now on which direction the movement takes in the coming days. With police on maximum alert, the risk of fresh clashes cannot be ruled out either.