Protesters in Paris on Saturday (October 24) said they were fighting for their right to demonstrate and better public services, as thousands marched in Paris.

The route for Paris' main demonstration was settled only after a legal battle triggered by a last-minute police order moving organizers away from the city center towards the south-eastern fringes of the capital.

Police argued the original route passed through areas with a high concentration of businesses similar to those targeted last weekend. Leftist leaders said the late change was aimed at causing confusion and keeping people away.

Many demonstrators accused the government of over-reacting, with soldiers dispatched to patrol the Champs-Elysees.

Some 70,000 police officers have been mobilized across the country as the government seeks to prevent a repeat of the riots and looting that rocked France last weekend.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 24, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. PROTESTERS MARCHING

2. PLACARD READING (French): "FINANCE THE SCHOOLS, NOT THE GENOCIDES"

3. PROTESTERS CHANTING (Italian): "WE'RE ALL ANTI-FASCICTS"

4. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS ON BUS STOP WITH FRENCH FLAG

5. PROTESTERS WALKING PAST WITH PLACARD READING (French): "IT IS DARK IN THE COUNTRY OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT" AND "BROKE, FASHIONABLE, BUT NOT FASCIST"

6. PROTESTER WEARING MASK OF NORTH KOREAN LEADER, KIM JONG-UN, PRETENDING TO BEAT UP PROTESTER WEARING MASK OF FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, OTHERS JOINING

7. PROTESTERS COMING DOWN FROM TRAM STOP

8. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS FROM UNEF STUDENT UNION WITH BANNER READING (French): "MEANS TO STUDY, NOT TO GET BEATEN WITH BATONS"

9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) MOTHER OF HIGH SCHOOLERS, EMILIE BERTHIER DE GRANDRY, SAYING:

"We came today because, honestly, last week we didn't feel heard at all. We arrived at 1:15 PM (last week), and tear gas was already being used. We were right in the heart of Republic (Square), demonstrating, there was no violence from young people or anything, and we were already getting tear gassed. It lasted until 4:30 PM."

10. VARIOUS OF PROTESTER IN SHARK COSTUME

11. (SOUNDBITE) (French) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN NOGENT-SUR-MARNE, AARON BERTHIER DE GRANDRY, 15, SAYING:

“I'm a student, and the state of the high schools is appalling. It really seems like the government goes on vacation while we're struggling in schools that are falling apart and lack teachers."

12. PROTESTERS CHANTING

13. (SOUNDBITE) (French) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN NOGENT-SUR-MARNE, AARON BERTHIER DE GRANDRY, 15, SAYING (ASKED ABOUT PROTEST BANS):

“They don't have the right to do this, because demonstrating is our right. It's our way of demanding what we want, and it's our way of making ourselves heard. And they're preventing us from doing it. It's just an abuse of power, in my opinion."

14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) MOTHER OF HIGH SCHOOLERS, EMILIE BERTHIER DE GRANDRY, SAYING:

"We thought, 'No, we can't just give up like that. We have to come back today.' And if it's still happening next week, we'll come back next week, and so on. It's important to me, because we already have our own worries as adults, as parents, to support him and also to protect him. I'm doing a bit of security too! You never know."

15. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING

16. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHEERING FOR PROTESTER IN BATMAN COSTUME

17. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING