Tens of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets across France today as part of student protests that have lasted for almost a month.
Here’s what we know so far about today’s protests:
Protests began this morning in several cities in France, local time, including Rennes, Lyon, Marseille and Paris.
In the French capital, hundreds of people gathered at Place de la République, where today’s main march is expected to begin. Things quickly escalated, with police deploying tear gas in the square and charging at the crowd. A small group of protesters shot fireworks at police lines.
Lyon police also fired tear gas grenades to disperse around 300 people rallying in front of the city’s Jean Moulin University, according to CNN’s French affiliate BFMTV.
Today’s march in Paris was scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET), according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.
The French Interior Ministry will also hold a crisis unit meeting at 6 p.m. this evening (12 p.m. ET), BFMTV reported, citing sources.
The heads of cabinet of the Prime Minister, the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Justice will be present, it was indicated.
Even though the recent protests in France were started by students, people from different backgrounds and across the political spectrum are expected to attend today’s protests.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s far-left France Insoumise has supported the student movement and is expected to participate in demonstrations in support of the demonstrators and their demands.
Some farmers have mooted the idea of staging protests with tractors, while taxi drivers have already started staging roadblocks and rolling blockades around Paris airports and say they intend to continue until Saturday.
The yellow vests are also present at today’s demonstrations.
Speaking last night about protests planned for today, French President Emmanuel Macron called for “calm”.
The Paris Police Prefecture, the body that oversees Paris police, emergency services and various other administrative services, defended the actions of its officers and criticized the “hostile” protesters.
CNN’s Joseph Ataman, Elina Baudier Kim and Charlotte Reck contributed to this report.
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