Wave of protests spreads across Europe, and France mobilizes 70,000 police officers after night of looting
Demonstrations over the cost of living, education and military service reach Germany, Portugal, Italy, Albania and Serbia, and new demonstrations are scheduled in France.
BY THE X-TRADER NEWS NEWSROOM · REPORTING FROM FOX BUSINESS · 2 MIN
Europe is bracing for more protests after France faced widespread violence and looting, prompting the government to mobilize 70,000 police officers. According to Fox News correspondent Stephanie Bennett on the Fox Report program, tear gas was fired and stores were looted, and instability is already spreading across the continent.
Over the weekend, police clashed with protesters in France, Germany, Portugal, Albania, Serbia and other countries, according to the report.
France concentrates the biggest acts
More than 320,000 people marched across France on Saturday, in protest against the cost of living and issues linked to education. The events began peacefully, but with the arrival of Halloween night, chaos returned, according to Fox News. Until the last check mentioned in the report, 550 people had been arrested.
Calls remain open. Student unions call for the lockdown of high schools or universities on Tuesday. Workers' unions plan a strike on Thursday over wages, pensions and public services. Wider demonstrations are expected to continue next weekend.
Germany, Portugal and Eastern Europe
In Germany, more than 180,000 people signed up for protests in 34 cities. Images shown by the channel show protesters clashing against buildings. The so-called Generation Z group, according to the report, opposes mandatory military service and wants more investment in education.
Similar demands appeared in student protests in Italy and Portugal. In this country, riot police forcibly removed protesters who were camping there, as reported.
Albania also recorded similar acts. In Serbia, student-led activism helped oust the country's longtime leader from power at the polls, according to Fox News.
What to watch out for
The report does not deal with stock exchanges, interest or exchange rates. Even so, the topics mentioned (salaries, pensions, public services, education and cost of living) are linked to the debate on public spending and accounts in Europe, a topic that tends to be closely followed by investors. In Fox News' assessment, there is no end in sight to the wave of protests, and the agenda of strikes and blockades in France in the coming days should be the next test.
Automatically translated from Portuguese.
