Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across France on Thursday as workers, students and pensioners joined nationwide strikes and demonstrations demanding higher wages, action on the cost of living and better public services. Nearly 1.6 million people joined the marches, including 350,000 in Paris, the CGT union said. The Interior Ministry gave a much lower nationwide estimate of around 600,000.
Clashes broke out in several cities, including Lyon, as authorities deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes across the country. Most demonstrations were proceeding without major incidents, the Interior Ministry said.
