The social unrest that began a month ago in Parisian schools is escalating into a wave of mass demonstrations and clashes spreading across many European countries. France, Spain, Italy, Albania, Portugal, and Belgium are facing protests, while youth protests have also been reported in Portugal, all driven by a shared anger over the high cost of living, economic inequalities, and the political situation.
On Saturday, October 24, more than 400,000 people demonstrated across France, with arrests nearing 1,000 and approximately 70,000 police officers deployed nationwide. In Paris, where more than 100,000 protesters flooded the streets, clashes broke out with the police, while incidents, arson, and looting were also reported in other cities.
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The unrest also spread to Spain, where in Barcelona approximately 100 people were arrested, more than 30 cases of arson were reported involving objects on the streets, and 14 stores were damaged or looted. In Italy, protests took place in Rome, Milan, and Turin, with clashes between police and protesters in the Italian capital, where a group of demonstrators even managed to break into the Colosseum.
Total chaos in Europe. Now also in Spain. https://t.co/J49ZvEDsQ9
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) October 25, 2026
In Albania, new clashes broke out in Tirana, where protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. According to reports, security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets, and a fire broke out at the entrance to the Ministry of the Environment during the clashes. Protests were also reported in Belgium, while in Portugal, young people have held demonstrations with economic and political demands.
European authorities remain on high alert for new gatherings on Sunday, October 25, as the discontent that began in French classrooms has taken on broader dimensions.
Paris: Over 100,000 on the streets, clashes, and hundreds of arrests across the country
The French capital saw the largest gathering of the day, with approximately 110,000 protesters according to the Ministry of the Interior, while unions claimed that turnout reached 250,000. Nationwide, authorities reported 410,000 participants, while unions estimated the number at approximately 800,000.
WATCH: Large crowds marched through Paris today in a second national day of protests against the rising cost of living, as authorities deployed heavy security following last weekend’s riots. The police prefecture put turnout in Paris at about 110,000, while the CGT union claimed around 250,000. Nationwide, the Interior Ministry counted roughly 410,000 protesters, compared with up to 800,000 claimed by the CGT. https://t.co/zaogkGKwyY
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 24, 2026
The march in Paris was marked by clashes between protesters and police, with objects and fireworks being thrown. Police used tear gas and water cannons, while fires and attempted looting were reported in some areas.
Many stores had protected their windows with wooden barriers, while museums remained closed for fear of disturbances. Similar scenes were reported in Marseille, where authorities had significantly stepped up security measures.
Disturbances from Bordeaux to Grenoble
The protests spread to dozens of French cities, with varying levels of intensity and participation.
In Bordeaux, more than 15,000 people gathered in the city center despite the bans. Groups of protesters clashed with police, erected barricades, set trash cans on fire, and attempted to storm the Chamber of Commerce and Industry building. There were 44 arrests, three injuries, and damage to eight businesses.
Début des hostilités à Bordeaux
— Mame XA (@Mame_Xa17) October 24, 2026#24octobre #Manif24Octobre https://t.co/MPO9Jp3d7W
In Nantes, where protesters threw Molotov cocktails and fireworks at police officers, at least 70 people were arrested, while authorities prevented looting of stores. In Toulon, 64 people were arrested, 20 of whom were taken into police custody.
— L’insoumission (@L_insoumission) October 24, 2026
A Nantes, un policier étrangle un jeune homme et lui frappe la tête contre un mur pendant que son collègue menace d’un tir de LBD des habitants qui protestent Face aux manifestations immenses et pacifiques de ce samedi 24 octobre, le pouvoir macroniste continue de réprimer par la sauvagerie policière.
In Metz, approximately 1,500 people took part in a march, while a group of 200 hooded individuals caused disturbances, resulting in seven arrests, including three minors. In Chambéry, approximately 1,500 protesters also held an unauthorized march, which led to a temporary highway closure and clashes with police.
In Annecy, 20 people were arrested and a police officer was injured, while in the cities of Van and Lorient, unauthorized gatherings took place with 1,200 and 1,600 participants, respectively. In Lorient, six suspects were arrested in possession of sledgehammers, cutters, and smoke bombs.
In Grenoble, approximately 10,300 people took part in two marches, with police reporting that a group of 400 hooded individuals caused damage. One store was looted, ten other buildings were damaged or targeted in attempted looting, and eight police officers and seven protesters were injured. In Montpellier, approximately 6,300 people took part in a protest that was marked by the throwing of objects, the use of tear gas, eight arrests, and two police officers injured.
Violent clashes in Tirana, fires at government ministries, and calls for Rama’s resignation
Particularly serious incidents occurred in Tirana, where student protests escalated into broader anti-government demonstrations, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The protests began on Saturday afternoon outside the Ministry of Education, with demonstrators calling for lower tuition fees, greater state funding for education, and an end to corruption. Gradually, the protests spread to Skenderbeu Square, the Prime Minister’s office, and other areas of the capital.
Tirana is burning. Students and protesters are back on the streets of Albania, clashing with police and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. What started over a luxury coastal resort has exploded into nationwide anger over corruption, broken education, jobs, and living costs. #albania #Tirana
— TheGenzzzVoice (@genzvoicee) October 24, 2026
Fires broke out at the Ministry of the Environment, at the entrances to the Ministry of Agriculture and Tirana City Hall, while damage was caused to banks, bus stops, and other facilities. According to Albanian public radio and television, a police officer was engulfed in flames during the clashes, and his colleagues rushed to his aid.
— Tirana Report (@Tirana_Report) October 24, 2026
Footage from today’s protest in Tirana, Albania https://t.co/g0JtlwAEXy
Police forces used tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets, while approximately 2,500 police officers were deployed on the streets of the capital.
The protests stem from discontent over unemployment, corruption, the state of education, and government policy, posing one of the most significant challenges for Edi Rama, who has been in power since 2013.
Italy: Storming of the Colosseum and Clashes in Rome
In Rome, tensions peaked when a group of protesters breached the Colosseum’s security perimeter and entered the ancient arena before being removed by authorities.
Chaos in Rome. Rioters storm the Colosseum, tourists caught in the middle flee in panic. The symbol of Italy under assault. Unbelievable. https://t.co/vogALoumuk
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) October 24, 2026
Protesters draped in Palestinian flags storm the Colosseum. And so let’s write it: with Giorgia Meloni, after 1,946 years, they managed to storm the Colosseum. Something never achieved before. The world is laughing at us. https://t.co/EBNz5wnury
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) October 24, 2026
Clashes broke out near Piazza della Repubblica, where police officers armed with shields and batons attempted to contain the protesters, also using a water cannon.
BREAKING: Riots in Rome tonight. Italian police are using batons and water cannons in their attempts to disperse the crowds of far-left rioters https://t.co/WDBm7aff6w
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 24, 2026
Authorities stepped up security measures around the Circus Maximus, Piazza del Popolo, and central shopping streets lined with luxury stores. Protests also took place in Milan and Turin, while hundreds of high school and college students participated peacefully, distancing themselves from the groups causing disturbances.
Spain: 100 arrests, dozens of fires, and looting in Barcelona
In Barcelona, approximately 100 people were arrested following clashes, arson, and looting of stores.
According to Catalonia’s Interior Minister, Nuria Parlón, 25% of those arrested were minors, while more than 30 fires broke out in the streets and 14 stores were damaged or looted.
Unbelievable images. Stores stormed and looted. Barcelona, like Paris, Brussels, Milan, Rome, and other European cities. Europe in total chaos. https://t.co/aKhDMhTZZV
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) October 25, 2026
In videos circulating on social media, customers are seen trapped inside the El Corte Inglés department store after the security shutters were lowered to prevent groups attempting to loot from entering.
— Electodatos (@electodatos) October 24, 2026
Barcelona:
Cientos de personas atrapadas en El Corte Inglés de Plaza Cataluña por la
protestas en el exterior. https://t.co/BAwdUZgQBS
Disturbios en plaza Catalunya, Barcelona. Lanzamiento de piedras, personas huyendo y fuerte despliegue de los Mossos. El Corte Inglés ha cerrado y otros comercios han protegido sus escaparates. Testigos relatan posibles intentos de saqueo en la zona. https://t.co/H9LCAfnY9K
— BCN LEGENDS (@bcnlegends) October 24, 2026
On social media, some organizers described the movement as “anti-establishment,” using the slogan “Institut Indignats,” inspired by the French student movement “Lycées Indignes.”
Clashes in Lisbon, arrests, and protests over the cost of living and housing
In Portugal, thousands of people demonstrated on Saturday, October 24, in Lisbon and Porto, protesting skyrocketing rents, the cost of living, and the housing crisis, which is hitting young people particularly hard. The protests, which began in Porto on October 10, spread to other cities, with rallies also taking place in Coimbra, Aveiro, and Braga.
In the early hours of Sunday (October 25), clashes broke out in Lisbon when a large police force, some accompanied by trained dogs, attempted to disperse protesters who had set up more than 100 tents in the central Rossio Square. The police made arrests, and injuries were also reported. A similar operation took place in Porto.
Tensions had already flared on October 20, when police broke up protest encampments in both cities, making 55 arrests.
Europe on Alert for New Protests
Following Saturday’s incidents, authorities in France and other European countries remain on high alert for new gatherings on Sunday, October 25.
In Paris, the tension has even overshadowed the scheduled NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints.
Although the reasons for the protests vary from country to country, the participation of large numbers of young people and the accumulation of social discontent are emerging as common characteristics of unrest that now extends beyond France’s borders.
Source: Proto Thema
