Mass protests against the decline in living standards are taking place in France, accompanied by unrest. According to estimates by the country’s Ministry of the Interior, around 33,000 people have taken to the streets. Approximately 140 separate demonstrations are taking place across France.
According to media reports, at least 272 people have been arrested in Paris and several other cities. AFP reports that more than 130 people have been arrested in the capital.
Protesters are unhappy about rising prices and the cost of fuel, cuts to state funding for social services, and the deterioration in public services. Other causes include police brutality, the poor state of schools and universities, a shortage of job vacancies, and insufficient subsidies to support France’s overseas territories.