Reuters. Burning trash bins blocked a road in Paris, while riot police readied in Marseille on Thursday (November 5) on the morning of a day of strikes and protests across France.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters are expected to march through French cities and public workers to strike on Thursday, in a fresh test for President Emmanuel Macron after weeks of unrest that have rattled his government and dominated the agenda five months ahead of a presidential election.
The mobilisation, called by trade unions including the left-wing CGT and backed by student groups, comes after demonstrations over living costs, public services and education triggered the worst civil unrest France has seen in years.
French authorities will deploy around 70,000 police nationwide. The domestic intelligence service expects between 500,000 and 700,000 people to join demonstrations outside Paris.
