Police fires tear gas at a demonstration in Paris on Thursday (November 5) as some protesters clashed with police on a day of largely peaceful nationwide demonstrations and strikes by some public sector workers in a renewed challenge to President Emmanuel Macron.

The protests were attended by several high-profile politicians, including presidential candidates Jean-Luc Melenchon and Raphael Glucksmann. They follow demonstrations over living costs, public services and education that have triggered the worst civil unrest France has seen in years.

The interior ministry said 270,000 people had participated in protests around the country so far, excluding Paris, where the main demonstration started in the afternoon.

In Paris, the mood was festive at the start, featuring a diverse group of participants singing "La Marseillaise" and some Carnival-like floats. But about two hours in, some of the people at the front of the march clashed with police, who fired tear gas.

The unrest comes only five months before a presidential election which could pit far-right candidate Marine Le Pen against hard

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 5, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. POLICE RETREATING AS TEAR GAS GOES OFF DURING PROTEST

2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING AMID TEAR GAS

3. POLICE CHARGING

4. FIREWORKS BEING THROWN AT POLICE

5. POLICE WALKING

6. POLICE CHARGING

7. POLICE STANDING / FIREWORKS GOING OFF

8. POLICE CHARGING / PERSON FALLING DOWN

9. POLICE STANDING

10. POLICE WALKING

11. POLICE WALKING, TAKING PROTESTERS WITH THEM

12. PROTESTERS STANDING NEAR POLICE

13. VARIOUS OF POLICE IN RIOT GEAR

14. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING, POLICE WALKING BACKWARD

15. PROTESTER WALKING WITH FLARE

16. PROTESTERS MARCHING SURROUNDED BY POLICE

17. PROTESTERS MARCHING, ONE WITH FLARE

18. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING MOCK MODEL OF PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON

19. PROTESTERS MARCHING

20. GRAFFITI ON STRUCTURE READING (French): “Macron explosion!”

21. MUSICIANS PLAYING WHILE MARCHING

22. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS ON TOP OF BUS STOP

23. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS, MARCHING

24. PROTESTERS, DRUMMERS PLAYING

25. FRENCH FLAG / PROTESTERS MARCHING

26. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH BANNER

27. PROTESTERS MARCHING

28. PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER, MARCHING

29. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING

30. VARIOUS TOP VIEWS OF PROTEST