France faces another wave of unrest as mass protests turn violent across several cities. More than 400,000 people take to the streets nationwide, according to France’s Interior Ministry, with around 110,000 protesters reported in Paris. Clashes erupt near Porte de Vincennes as police deploy tear gas and water cannons. Fires and property damage are reported in Marseille and Bordeaux, while security forces confront crowds in other cities. Authorities deploy up to 70,000 officers amid fears of further violence, and nearly 1,000 arrests are reported. The demonstrations come amid anger over the cost of living and school funding, putting fresh pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

Emmanuel Macron has hit back at Donald Trump over his explosive remarks on France’s unrest, accusing foreign leaders of spreading misinformation and fuelling tensions over immigration. Trump has claimed that migrants, jihadists and communists are “burning France to the ground”, while Macron has rejected claims that France is being “invaded” by migrants and Islamists, branding the criticism an attack on his country. The war of words has intensified as France grapples with nationwide unrest linked to education and cost-of-living protests, with more than 2,000 arrests reported over one weekend. WATCH