By Staff, Agencies

France’s Interior Ministry has reported 1,314 arrests after Saturday’s nationwide protests over living costs and public services.

The crackdown was carried out by the security forces of a country that lectures other nations on democracy, free expression, and the right to assemble.

An estimated 410,000 to 800,000 people joined 289 rallies and gatherings, according to official and union counts.

Authorized marches that followed pre-agreed routes with security monitoring were permitted to proceed.

In cities including Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Tours, however, authorities said groups they described as “high-risk” radical far-left and ultra-left activists formed at the front, within, or on the fringes of the marches.

These groups threw projectiles, attempted barricades, and clashed with officers, who responded with batons and tear gas, especially toward the end of the rallies.

Officials stated the night was relatively calm after the deployment of roughly 70,000 officers, and that damage was lower than the previous Saturday [October 17], when arrests reached about 2,628 amid more widespread rioting and looting.

The protests focused on the high cost of living, underfunded schools and public facilities, and - grievances that have drawn students, unions, and others into the streets in successive weeks. Similar cost-of-living demonstrations occurred in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Albania.

These crackdowns highlight a recurring pattern. Western governments, including France, routinely condemn other governments for taking measures to curb rioting and looting. At home, they launch assaults on free speech and democratic rights.