Protests spread across France as clashes bring arrests and police injuries

The protests bring together anger over rising living costs and declining public services. BBC Persian reported that tens of thousands of people demonstrated across France against higher household costs and deteriorating education.

Students were part of the early demonstrations, according to Tabnak. Deutsche Welle Persian also reported a revival of the yellow vest movement alongside the wider protests over living costs.

On October 17, Radio Farda reported clashes between protesters and police in Paris and Marseille, with tear gas used and dozens of people arrested.

In Paris, police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators, BBC Persian reported that day. Its account put arrests nationwide at more than 160 at that stage.

The unrest also involved fires and looting in Paris and other cities, according to Deutsche Welle Persian. Its report described hundreds of arrests as demonstrations spread through cities including Lyon and Marseille.

A separate October 17 report from Tasnim said a protester lost a hand in a police attack. The supplied coverage gives no further details about the circumstances of that injury.

Later reporting gave a much higher arrest figure. Mehr News reported on October 17 that France's prime minister said 1,200 people had been arrested during Saturday's protests. On October 18, Tabnak cited figures announced by the prime minister of at least 1,200 arrests and 150 injured police officers.

The available reports describe widespread unrest, but they do not give a consistent measure of its scale. BBC Persian described tens of thousands of demonstrators, while Tabnak reported more than 800,000 participants and ISNA put 550,000 in its headline. The supplied coverage does not explain those differences.

The arrest totals also differ, although the reports were published at different stages. BBC Persian reported more than 160 arrests nationwide on October 17, while Mehr News later cited the prime minister's figure of 1,200. Tabnak attached that higher figure to the Paris demonstrations in its October 18 account, leaving the geographic scope unclear.

Mehr News reported on October 18 that the protests had involved attacks on security vehicles and damage to public property. The supplied coverage does not establish whether further demonstrations or talks with the government have been scheduled.