Protests Spread Across Europe: Tear Gas, Clashes and Arrests Reported in France, Albania, Italy, Spain and Portugal
Europe is witnessing a fresh wave of demonstrations as public frustration over the cost of living, housing affordability, government policies and social issues spills onto the streets. From Paris and Tirana to Rome, Madrid and Lisbon, protests have escalated in several countries, with police using tear gas, making arrests and deploying additional security personnel to contain unrest.
Although the demonstrations have different local causes, rising living expenses, housing insecurity and dissatisfaction with government decisions have emerged as recurring themes. Clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement have added to tensions, even as protest organisers defend their right to peaceful assembly.
FRANCE: NEARLY 1,000 ARRESTED AMID CLASHES
French police arrested nearly 1,000 people nationwide as demonstrations on Saturday were marred by confrontations between officers and groups accused of provoking violence.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the situation as involving an “extremely elevated level of violence”. He said black-clad extremists, whom he characterised as belonging to the “ultra-left”, had thrown projectiles and set off fireworks at police officers.
According to France’s Interior Ministry, approximately 410,000 people took part in demonstrations across the country, including 110,000 in Paris. The CGT trade union, one of the organisers, estimated the turnout at 800,000 nationwide, with 250,000 participants in the capital.
Clashes were reported in Paris, Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse. In Paris, police said more than 3,000 people were stopped and checked, while 65 were arrested during the demonstration.
French left-wing leader and presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused authorities of using police force to create a negative impression of the protest movement.
“In Paris, to ruin the day and unwind, the so-called forces of law and order gas and fire into the crowd at the back of the procession,” Mélenchon said, alleging that the action was intended to generate damaging television footage.
In another post on X, he criticised what he described as an attempt to shape public opinion through media coverage of clashes rather than images of peaceful demonstrators.
Trump weighs in on French unrest
US President Donald Trump also commented on the situation during a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday. He blamed France’s immigration policies for the unrest and argued that people who dislike the country should not be allowed to enter it.
Trump’s remarks brought immigration into the debate surrounding the French demonstrations, although the protests described in the reports involved a range of domestic grievances.
ALBANIA: TEAR GAS AND RUBBER BULLETS IN TIRANA
Thousands of people gathered in Albania’s capital, Tirana, on Saturday for another anti-government demonstration following days of unrest. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, while some protesters reportedly launched fireworks at security forces.
The demonstrations have intensified since mid-October, with clashes between police and protesters resulting in injuries and arrests. Authorities said several government buildings had been attacked, dozens of demonstrators detained and more than 300 protesters and police officers injured.
The protest movement initially emerged in May over a luxury hotel development linked to the family of US President Donald Trump. The project has attracted criticism over its potential environmental impact and its effect on Albania’s coastline.
Scientists reportedly warned in July that the development had already caused irreparable damage to a previously pristine stretch of coastline.
The latest demonstrations reflect continuing opposition to the project and broader dissatisfaction with the government.
ITALY: SECURITY CRACKDOWN AS THOUSANDS JOIN DEMONSTRATIONS
Italian authorities deployed additional security personnel across the country on Saturday as thousands participated in protests despite a tougher government response following violent clashes the previous weekend.
Police reported that nine people were arrested, while another 371 people, including 110 minors, were briefly detained and taken to police stations in eight cities after confrontations broke out at some demonstrations.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government approved stricter security measures earlier in the week and conducted dozens of searches and arrests ahead of the rallies.
Meloni praised law enforcement agencies for maintaining public safety while allowing peaceful demonstrations to proceed.
“I want to thank the women and men of the Law Enforcement Agencies who, even today, in Italy’s squares, have worked to ensure the safety of citizens and the right to peaceful demonstration, despite the attempts by some violent individuals to provoke clashes and disorder,” she said.
The protests have involved students, truck drivers and farmers, with concerns ranging from housing costs and fuel prices to broader economic pressures.
The government has recently approved financial assistance for businesses struggling with increased fuel expenses following the war in the Middle East.
SPAIN: HOUSING CRISIS FUELS GROWING PROTEST MOVEMENT
In Spain, housing affordability has become a central issue in a growing protest movement, with a makeshift encampment in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol emerging as a focal point for demonstrators.
What began as a small camp has expanded into a settlement accommodating hundreds of people, complete with a canteen, a clinic and meeting areas.
The movement began on September 26 after police evicted an 87-year-old pensioner from her longtime home following a sharp rent increase by the property owner.
The incident sparked wider demonstrations against soaring housing costs and what protesters describe as inadequate protection for tenants. Tens of thousands of people have joined protests, while similar encampments have appeared in other Spanish cities.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist government responded by introducing two urgent housing bills intended to restrict evictions and provide indefinite rental contracts.
However, the minority government failed to secure parliamentary approval for the measures. Sánchez subsequently called an early general election for November 29, placing housing policy among the central issues in the political debate.
PORTUGAL: POLICE CLEAR HOUSING PROTEST CAMP IN LISBON
Portugal is facing a severe housing affordability crisis, with home prices more than doubling since 2017 and rents for new leases nearly doubling over the same period. Younger people have been particularly affected by the rising cost of accommodation.
Early Sunday, police dismantled a housing protest camp in Lisbon’s Rossio Square, making several arrests and reporting minor injuries. The exact number of people arrested or injured was not immediately available.
Shortly after 2 am, dozens of officers, some accompanied by police dogs, moved into the encampment after warning protesters to remove their tents or face charges related to disobedience.
The camp had been established after thousands of people marched through Lisbon on Saturday. Protesters erected more than 100 tents, and hundreds later gathered to defend the encampment after authorities had cleared a similar camp at the same location earlier in the week.
Demonstrators are demanding action on rising rents and living expenses. They are also opposing proposed legislation that would make evictions easier and remove rent caps on new leases.
For many protesters, the housing crisis has become a symbol of wider economic inequality, with younger households facing increasing difficulty securing affordable accommodation.
HOUSING AND COST-OF-LIVING PRESSURES AT THE HEART OF UNREST
The demonstrations across France, Albania, Italy, Spain and Portugal have distinct political and social backgrounds, but they share a common thread of public dissatisfaction.
Housing costs, fuel prices, economic insecurity and opposition to government decisions have brought large numbers of people onto the streets. At the same time, confrontations between some protesters and police have prompted arrests and tougher security measures.
The developments highlight the challenges facing European governments as they attempt to address public grievances while maintaining public order and protecting the right to peaceful protest.
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