Hawzah News Agency- more than 80,000 people marched through Toulouse as part of a movement launched to mark the anniversary of the Yellow Vest protests, voicing anger over rising living costs and expressing solidarity with protesting students.
Police response to the demonstrators was reported to be heavy-handed, with more than 100 people detained and officers carrying out targeted actions against marchers affiliated with a coalition of trade unions. A joint general assembly of various professional and trade sectors is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, October 20, at the occupied Mirail site to coordinate the continuation of the protest movement.
Although organizers had called for the rally to begin in the early afternoon, several spontaneous protests and gatherings formed across Toulouse from the early morning hours, including outside the Matabiau railway station. French police moved quickly to suppress the gatherings, deploying tear gas in the city center from the start of the day.
Eventually, at least 80,000 people — including workers, school students, university students, retirees, activists and unaffiliated citizens — set off from Place Jean Jaurès at 2 p.m. The turnout was described as comparable to the large crowds seen during the successful days of protests against pension reforms.
Many of those present, who spoke to reporters from the Révolution Permanente outlet, said it was their first or one of their first experiences at a demonstration. A large number of people appear to have decided to join the protest movement for the first time — a decision made in response to the unbearable rise in fuel prices, deteriorating conditions in education and the severe crackdown on students since their protests began roughly two weeks ago.
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