Large demonstrations have brought clashes and mass arrests in several countries, though many marches across the continent have remained peaceful.
PARIS, FRANCE — Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to streets across Europe this weekend as protests over living costs, education, housing, pensions and government policies intensified, with clashes between police and groups of protesters reported in France, Italy and Albania.
The demonstrations are not part of a single organized European movement, and their demands vary sharply by country. But they reflect overlapping pressures that have fueled public anger, including high household costs, strained public services, housing shortages and dissatisfaction with political leaders. Most participants have marched peacefully, while smaller groups in several cities have fought police, damaged property or looted businesses, prompting governments to deploy large security forces and make hundreds of arrests.
France has experienced the largest demonstrations and some of the most serious disorder. The French Interior Ministry said 410,000 people took part in 289 demonstrations nationwide Saturday, Oct. 24, including about 110,000 in Paris. The ministry said authorities made 1,314 arrests, 53 members of the security forces were injured and firefighters responded to 75 fires. Officials also said 24 businesses were looted. The figures remained provisional Sunday.
The French protests grew out of student anger over school conditions and staffing shortages before expanding to include broader demands concerning the cost of living and public services. Authorities deployed about 70,000 police and other security personnel for Saturday’s demonstrations after more severe disorder the previous weekend. Large marches proceeded along agreed routes, but clashes broke out as masked groups threw objects and fireworks at police in Paris and other cities. Officers used tear gas, water cannons and other crowd-control measures.
The violence has complicated a movement that has drawn students, workers and other residents into demonstrations across France. Government figures showed attendance Saturday was lower than the previous weekend, when about 550,000 people joined protests nationwide. Authorities said the level of violence also fell substantially, though confrontations continued and shops in several locations were damaged. The government has blamed radical groups for much of the disorder, while protesters have continued to press demands over education funding, household expenses and public services.
Italy also placed major cities under heavy security Saturday as demonstrations were held in Rome, Milan, Turin, Bologna, Florence and elsewhere. Italy’s Public Security Department said nine people were arrested, 87 were reported to judicial authorities and 371 people were taken to police offices or temporarily detained during operations connected with the protests. Of those 371, officials said 110 were minors. Authorities identified more than 4,200 people during the day’s security operations.
Clashes were reported in several Italian cities. In central Rome, protesters threw bottles toward a police cordon after a march attempted to move toward government buildings, according to Italian news agency ANSA. Police responded with water cannons, tear gas and charges to push the crowd back. In Bologna, disorder broke out after a march of about 1,000 people, with police using tear gas and water cannons as officers tried to contain groups of demonstrators. Tensions also were reported in Milan, Turin and Florence.
Saturday’s Italian demonstrations followed more serious unrest a week earlier, particularly in Milan, where shops were damaged and looted and protesters clashed with police. The Italian government responded by increasing security in the city, including the deployment of hundreds of soldiers. The latest protests have drawn participants with different grievances, including students, workers and antiwar demonstrators, making them part of a broader period of social unrest rather than a single campaign with one set of demands.
In Albania, fresh anti-government demonstrations in Tirana also ended in clashes Saturday. Albania’s State Police said officers were attacked with stones, metal objects, fireworks and incendiary devices during hours of disorder in the capital. Police said five officers were injured. Authorities also opened an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding an eye injury suffered by a 28-year-old man during the unrest. The latest confrontation followed repeated demonstrations in Tirana during October involving students, opposition supporters and other groups dissatisfied with the government.
Belgium has faced similar tensions during demonstrations against planned budget cuts and government reforms. During an Oct. 9 national strike in Brussels, a small group of masked protesters threw rocks and other objects at police and set fires as thousands of union members and students marched through the capital. Police responded with tear gas. Further confrontations were reported later in Brussels and Liège, adding Belgium to the group of countries where largely peaceful mass demonstrations have included episodes of violence.
Other European protests have remained far less violent. Demonstrators in Spain have focused heavily on pensions and housing costs, while Portuguese protesters have demanded more affordable housing. Rallies and encampments in both countries have highlighted rising rents and pressure on household budgets. Those movements share some economic concerns with demonstrators in France and Italy, but there is no evidence that the protests across the continent are directed by one organization or share a single political program.
The next phase of the unrest is likely to vary by country. French authorities were still consolidating arrest and injury figures Sunday, while investigations continued into violence and property damage. Italian officials were reviewing detentions and incidents from demonstrations in several cities, and Albanian authorities were examining both attacks on officers and the reported injury to a protester. Additional strikes and demonstrations have also been announced in parts of Europe in the coming weeks, leaving governments preparing for continued public pressure.
Author note: Last updated October 25, 2026.