France protests on October 24 draw 410,000 as clashes hit several cities

France protests on October 24 brought hundreds of thousands of people into the streets over rising living costs, inequality and public services. Most marches were peaceful, but confrontations with police were reported in Paris and other cities, in a second weekend of nationwide demonstrations.

France's Interior Ministry put turnout at 410,000 people nationally, including 110,000 in Paris. The CGT union confederation estimated both figures at nearly twice the official totals, according to Al Jazeera.

The movement started with student protests in Paris's northern suburbs over teacher shortages, poor facilities and other school conditions. It has since widened to include concerns about living standards, inequality and public spending, Reuters reported.

What happened at the France protests on October 24?

In Paris, riot police used tear gas and water cannon against a group of about 500 hooded young people who threw stones at officers, CNBC reported, citing a security official quoted by Reuters. Police also used tear gas in cities including Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Lille, Toulouse, Montpellier and Nantes, according to Al Jazeera.

CNBC reported clashes in Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble. In Marseille, young people blocked a street with metal sheets, set fire to rubbish bins and threw rocks and bottles at riot police, while police said two jewelry stores were looted.

Authorities deployed about 70,000 security personnel before the demonstrations, Al Jazeera reported. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said nearly 1,000 people were arrested nationwide and said officers had faced an extremely elevated level of violence. He also said at least two people were seriously injured, without giving further details.

How did the October 24 protests compare with the prior weekend?

The October 24 unrest was reported as less severe than the violence of October 17. Reuters said that earlier demonstrations included peaceful marches by hundreds of thousands of people, alongside arson, looting and attacks on public buildings, police vehicles and officers.

On October 17, a city hall in Limoges was set on fire, Reuters reported. The news agency also reported damage to public buildings in Marseille and Lyon. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said 1,200 people had been arrested in connection with those protests.

The different dates and figures matter: officials reported a lower national turnout on October 24 than the 550,000 cited by the Interior Ministry for October 17, while the CGT's estimate for the second weekend remained substantially above the official count. The demonstrations continued to combine student demands over education with broader anger about the cost of living and public services.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.