The weekend was dominated by a new day of national mobilization against the rising cost of living, marked by relative calm compared to the events of October 17. Here are the key facts to understand the situation in France.
【October 24 Protests: Massive Mobilization Under Close Surveillance】
According to the Interior Ministry, 410,000 people protested on Saturday, October 24 across France; the CGT claims 800,000 participants. Nearly 1,000 people were arrested in total. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez praised the commitment of law enforcement and estimated that "the marches went well," according to Le Figaro.
According to Le Monde, permits and routes for these marches were often decided at the last minute. Protesters were demonstrating against the rising cost of living, in support of mobilized high school students, or for the defense of public freedoms. Clashes did break out at the end of the day in Nantes, Rennes and Marseille, but "in no way comparable" to the scenes of chaos on October 17. Le Figaro clarifies, in a report, that law enforcement managed to limit looting and damage compared to the previous week.
Read on Le Figaro · Read on Le Monde
【Paris, Marseille: The Situation in Major Cities】
In Paris, the march set off from Porte d'Italie heading toward Porte de Vincennes. Protesters interviewed by France Info denounced an attempt to "push them away from" the center of the capital, while affirming they wanted to make their demands heard. In Marseille, a "human tide" marched under the supervision of the CGT's security team, which managed, according to a witness cited by Le Parisien, to "see the demonstration through to the end."
Before October 24, several major cities — Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux notably — had barricaded themselves as a precaution, according to Le Parisien.
Read on France Info · Read on Le Parisien
【Looted Stores and Barricaded Cities: Collateral Damage】
Despite relative calm, shops were looted again during this day of mobilization. Affected merchants expressed their anger to Le Parisien: "It's us who have to pay while we're the people!" — denouncing the cost of damage borne by ordinary residents and merchants, not by those who committed the violence.
【Bitchat, the Internet-Free Messaging App Embraced by Protesters】
Another notable fact from this day of mobilization: the sudden popularity of the Bitchat application, which allows people to exchange messages without an internet connection. Launched by Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, it has been at the top of downloads on the App Store in France for several days, according to Le Figaro. It had already been used by protesters in Nepal, Iran and India — a useful tool to know for those living in France who might find themselves at a protest with saturated mobile networks.
【Poll: French Anger After October 17】
A poll conducted after the October 17 protests, cited by Le Parisien, shows that "the French are angry": La France Insoumise (LFI) is particularly singled out in public opinion, while Emmanuel Macron is judged "not up to the task" by some of those surveyed. This climate of political distrust should be placed in the context of the wave of social mobilizations that has been shaking the country for several weeks.
【International: Tanzanian Opponent Tundu Lissu Threatens Hunger Strike】
In Tanzania, opponent Tundu Lissu, 58 years old, has threatened to begin a hunger strike to protest his detention conditions, Le Monde reports. Incarcerated for a year and a half for demanding electoral system reform, he returned to the country in 2023 after several years in exile. He faces the death penalty.
【Linguistic Curiosity: Why French Spelling Is So Complicated】
For foreigners learning French, Le Monde devotes its monthly column from the Correction section to everyday words whose spelling puzzles even native French speakers. These curiosities "trip up" French children and "plunge foreigners into depths of perplexity," according to the newspaper — useful reading for those still struggling with French spelling traps.
【Housing: Rats Are Returning to the Surface in Paris】
On the daily life side of Parisian housing, a pest control specialist interviewed by Le Parisien testifies that summer heat waves have caused his business to boom: "the heat waves bring them to the surface," he explains about the rodents, noting that his phone "hasn't stopped ringing" this summer. Useful information for tenants dealing with these kinds of pests in the capital.