VIDEO: Tensions, clashes, and tear gas in several areas of France

Clashes and the use of tear gas were reported in several areas of France, as thousands of citizens took part in the protests. This new round of protests in France comes one week after looting and clashes between police and protesters.

Tensions are running high right now in Paris, where 110,000 citizens are participating in the demonstration, according to initial official figures released by the relevant regional authority.

At the same time, the French government has deployed 70,000 police officers and has imposed bans on gatherings and local traffic restrictions in several cities for fear of new violent incidents.

Watch live footage from Paris:

Clashes outside a high school in Paris

Clashes between protesters and police broke out outside the Hélène Boucher high school, in Paris’s 20th arrondissement, with police using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.

According to reports, police attempted to remove the crowd from the area, while several of the protesters had their faces covered with masks.

During the standoff, the protesters chanted the slogan “Everyone hates the police,” reacting to the security forces’ intervention.

At the same time, a police helicopter was flying over the area, monitoring the situation from the air.

Les FDO font usage de lacrymogène et du canon à eau pour disperser la foule. «Tout le monde déteste de la police», répondent les manifestants masqués pour la plupart. Un hélicoptère de la gendarmerie survole la foule. https://t.co/ZgNUBskUpF

— Jean-Baptiste Semerdjian (@JBSemerdjian) October 24, 2026

Tear Gas and Roadblocks in Bordeaux

New clashes also broke out in Bordeaux, France, where police forces used tear gas as a demonstration was winding down at Place de la Bourse.

According to local authorities, groups of people attacked police officers, throwing objects and erecting barricades in the surrounding streets. “Hostile groups attacked the police, threw objects, and set up roadblocks,” the prefecture stated, attributing responsibility for the escalation of tensions to these specific protesters.

https://t.co/afuhf48NL9

— Préfète de la Nouvelle-Aquitaine et de la Gironde (@PrefAquitaine33) October 24, 2026

Police forces responded with tear gas, attempting to disperse the crowd from the area.

À Bordeaux, la place de la Bourse est sous les gaz https://t.co/Wkqi5vtFhy

— AB7 Média (@Ab7Media) October 24, 2026

Tension and Tear Gas in Clermont-Ferrand

Tensions flared in the city of Clermont-Ferrand as protesters tried to reach the city center, which is cordoned off by police, while a ban on gatherings is also in effect.

Police attempted to keep them at a distance by firing tear gas.

Looting and Vandalism in Nantes

French authorities made five arrests in Nantes, following incidents that occurred during the protests, with reports of vandalism and looting at a retail store.

According to the prefect of the Pays de la Loire region, unidentified individuals caused damage and looted a business in the city, while police intervened to quell the disturbances.

France: 30 arrests in Nice – Increased security measures following the incidents
Police authorities in Nice, France, have made 30 arrests, according to a statement by the city’s mayor, Éric Ciotti, amid protests taking place in many parts of the country.

The mayor announced the number of arrests in a post on Platform X, following a briefing at the Foch police station attended by the prefect and security force officials.

“Thirty arrests have been made. All necessary measures have been taken to ensure safety,” he stated.

Tear Gas and Police Interventions in Lille and Lyon

Police interventions took place earlier in Lille and Lyon, France.

| Des tensions sont en cours à Lille. https://t.co/C2UGhkIpS3

— L’infoduNord (@INFODUNORD) October 24, 2026

In Lille, police intervened against protesters, while in Lyon, tear gas was used to disperse a gathering in an area where no ban on demonstrations had been imposed.

Affrontements près de l’université Lyon 2 https://t.co/vm4dpMpb3V

— Lyon Mag (@lyonmag) October 24, 2026

Lyon : les affrontements s’intensifient et les tensions gagnent plusieurs quartiers ! Les manifestants se dispersent dans les rues tandis que les CRS multiplient les interventions. Des explosions de grenades lacrymogènes accompagnent les mouvements de foule. Après la dispersion d’environ un millier de personnes place Jean-Macé, les confrontations se déplacent vers Garibaldi et la Guillotière. Rue Nicolaï, les policiers essuient des jets de projectiles, notamment des billes métalliques. La situation se tend également place Bellecour, où de nouveaux tirs lacrymogènes éclatent. Le pont Lafayette est bloqué par les CRS, tandis que plusieurs groupes tentent de circuler entre les quartiers malgré les restrictions préfectorales. La contestation lyonnaise prend désormais une tournure explosive. Malgré l’interdiction de manifester et les opérations de dispersion, la colère continue de gagner les rues. Une journée particulièrement embarrassante pour le gouvernement Macron, qui prétend défendre les libertés publiques jusque sur la scène internationale tout en durcissant sa réponse à la mobilisation populaire. #France #Lyon #Manifestations #CRS #Macron

— Super Poutine (@SPoutineFR) October 24, 2026

Tension in Marseille

Tensions also flared in Marseille, where police used tear gas during mass demonstrations over conditions in the education system. Thousands of people have taken to the streets, including college students, high school students, teachers, and parents with young children.

Earlier, the protest had been proceeding peacefully, with demonstrators following the approved route through the city. Police officers were searching backpacks and personal belongings of those arriving at the rally before the use of tear gas was reported.

Source: Proto Thema