--- title: "Fifth Wave of Protests in France: Clashes with Police and Over 120 Detained" description: "On November 14, France held its fifth consecutive Saturday of protests against the rising cost of living: according to the Ministry of the Interior, about 106,000 people participated, 121 were detained, and clashes with police occurred in several cities." date: 2026-11-14T19:42:42.581Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/france-protests-fifth-saturday-police-clashes tags: [france-protests, cost-of-living, paris, police, yellow-vests, labor-dispute] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Fifth Wave of Protests in France: Clashes with Police and Over 120 Detained ![Protesters in masks and yellow vests during street clashes with police in France](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/14/protesty-francii-pyataya-subbota-stolknoveniya-s-politsiei/protesty-francii-pyataya-subbota-stolknoveniya-s-politsiei-1.webp) ## Key Points - France held its fifth consecutive Saturday of protests against the rising cost of living - The Interior Ministry estimates the number of participants at ~106k (24k in Paris), while the trade union coalition estimates ~200k (100k in the capital) - 121 participants were detained nationwide, and tear gas was used in Paris - Authorities deployed about 70,000 police and gendarmes, and closed 21 metro stations in Paris - Demands include wage increases, education spending, an end to police violence, and the rejection of a bill on the presumption of lawfulness for the use of weapons On November 14, France experienced its fifth consecutive Saturday of street protests sparked by the rising cost of living. Demonstrations took place in dozens of cities with the participation of trade unions, students, schoolchildren, human rights activists, and "yellow vest" movement members. In a number of locations, peaceful marches escalated into clashes with law enforcement and were accompanied by the detention of participants. According to the Ministry of the Interior, about 106,000 people took part in the actions nationwide, including 24,000 in Paris; the youth inter-union coalition estimates the scale to be significantly higher, at around 200,000 nationwide and 100,000 in the capital. ### Scale and Routes of the Marches To ensure public order, authorities deployed about 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, and temporarily closed 21 metro stations in Paris. The main column of demonstrators in the capital started from Republic Square, then the route ran through Bastille Square to Nation Square. It was in the Nation Square area, according to French media reports, that law enforcement officers formed groups and pushed back protesters, using batons and detaining demonstrators. ### Clashes and Detentions In Paris, law enforcement used tear gas, and a total of 121 protest participants were detained across the country. In Lyon, protesters set fire to a barricade, in Bordeaux objects were thrown at armored vehicles, and in Marseille police once again used tear gas. Despite these incidents, the French Interior Ministry stated that overall the situation in the country remains calm and controlled. ### Demands of the Protesters Among the main demands of the demonstrators are wage increases, higher spending on education, and an end to police violence. Some participants also opposed a bill designed to strengthen the legal protection of law enforcement officers when using weapons and introducing a presumption of lawfulness for such actions. ### Context and Assessments The current wave continues a series of protests that have been taking place in France for the fifth Saturday in a row. Earlier, the publication reported that France intends to check Russia's possible involvement in the street protests, and analytical columns discussed the differences between the current actions and previous ones. Disagreements between the parties regarding the number of participants — from 106,000 according to the Interior Ministry to 200,000 according to the trade union coalition — reflect the difference in counting methodology typical for such events, while the very fact of mass marches and isolated clashes is recognized by both sides. ## Accounts differ ### Number of participants in the November 14 actions - **French Ministry of the Interior:** About 106,000 people participated in the actions, including 24,000 in Paris ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/protesti-frantsiyi-pererosli-sutichki-politsieyu-1794682253.html)) - **Youth Inter-Union Coalition:** About 200,000 people took to the streets across France, including 100,000 in the capital ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/protesti-frantsiyi-pererosli-sutichki-politsieyu-1794682253.html)) *Where they agree:* Large-scale protests took place across France, which is confirmed by both the Interior Ministry and the trade union coalition ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Протесты во Франции переросли в столкновения с полицией, задержаны более 120 человек (видео)](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/protesti-frantsiyi-pererosli-sutichki-politsieyu-1794682253.html) - Primary source: 106k per Interior Ministry (24k Paris), 200k per coalition (100k Paris), 121 detainees, 70k security forces, 21 metro stations, incidents in Lyon/Bordeaux/Marseille. - [Парижские протесты переросли в столкновения с полицией](https://minval.az/news/124561694) - Confirms clashes, the use of batons and tear gas, detentions; cites its own figures (146k/250k) relating to the previous day of protests. - [Власти Франции предупредили о жестких мерах на протестах](https://www.rbc.ru/politics/20/10/2026/6ad7702fd36df7abb12a8e83) - Context: authorities' warning about cracking down on rioters amidst ongoing protests. - [Третья волна погромов во Франции: 320 тысяч участников и столкновения с полицией](https://zn.ua/europe/tretja-volna-pohromov-vo-frantsii-320-tysjach-uchastnikov-i-stolknovenija-s-politsiej.html) - Confirms clashes in Paris, Marseille, and other cities, and the use of tear gas. ## FAQ ### How many people, according to various estimates, participated in the November 14 actions? The French Ministry of the Interior cites about 106,000 participants nationwide (24,000 in Paris), while the youth inter-union coalition estimates about 200,000 (100,000 in the capital). ### How many people were detained and what measures did the police use? 121 participants were detained across the country, and tear gas was used in Paris; clashes were also recorded in Lyon, Bordeaux, and Marseille. ### What are the protesters demanding? Wage increases, higher education spending, an end to police violence, and the rejection of the bill on the presumption of lawfulness of weapons use by law enforcement officers.