A wave of protests denouncing the cost-of-living crisis spread across Europe over the weekend, from France and Belgium to Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Albania. While the majority of protesters were peaceful, some clashed with police, set fires, damaged public buildings and businesses and looted them. The French demonstrations were the most widespread, attracting between 550,000 and 800,000 people on Saturday. Over 2,400 people were arrested, with numerous injuries among protesters, police officers and emergency workers across the country.
Belgian demonstrations were largely limited to the student movement denouncing spending cuts in education in Brussels and Liege. 195 people were arrested, and five police officers were lightly injured, according to official information. Italian demonstrations were concentrated in Milan, with at least 50 people arrested amid looting and rioting. Meanwhile, anti-government protests in Albania, which have intermittently been taking place since May, escalated into clashes with the police, who fired rubber bullets at the crowds for the first time on Saturday. Tens of thousands marched in Lisbon, Portugal, calling for lower housing costs, as well as wage and pension increases. Spanish protests, which started earlier this month, were also motivated by the housing crisis, leading to activists setting up a camp in Madrid city center. According to reports, further unrest is expected and could spread to countries including Greece, Germany and Austria.
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