Protest Violence Eases in France; Germany Faces Unrest Ahead of School Return

French authorities expressed relief after mass protests over rising living costs resulted in less violence than previous weekends. Police expect new demonstrations as high schools reopen Monday after their autumn break.

In Germany, nationwide protests ended with rioters attacking police and looting stores in some cities. Hundreds of thousands joined peaceful marches inspired by young people, despite scattered unrest.

In Paris, rioters targeted police with Molotov cocktails, injuring three officers and setting a car ablaze. Masked groups hurled fireworks at officers near the Eiffel Tower, prompting repeated police charges.

Overall, the violence was less severe than on Oct. 17, when a city hall was torched and over 2,000 stores were looted. Police arrested 779 people Saturday, compared with 2,628 on Oct. 17 and 1,314 last weekend.

Germany regains calm after a night of unrest, with more than 100,000 mostly young people protesting peacefully across the country. In some cities, protests turned violent at night, with rioters attacking police and looting stores.

In Frankfurt, rioters attacked police and looted stores, injuring over 100 officers and detaining 54 people. Police cordoned off an area in the city center, calming the situation by early Sunday morning.

In Portugal, riot police removed protesters from a square in Lisbon after overnight demonstrations for more affordable housing. Thousands marched through the city, and a few hundred camped out in Rossio, an iconic square, before police intervened.