The interior ministry said 565 people had been arrested nationwide. Four police officers and one gendarme were injured in Paris, with three officers suffering burns from Molotov cocktails.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said around 150 planned demonstrations had passed off peacefully but condemned what he described as an "extraordinary" level of violence by some groups as the rallies ended.
According to the interior ministry, an estimated 320,000 people took part in demonstrations across the country, down from 410,000 the previous weekend.
Around 70,000 protesters marched in Paris, setting off from Porte de Bagnolet and heading towards Porte de Charenton. The march largely avoided the city centre.
The demonstration remained mostly peaceful until it reached its final destination, where violence broke out. Dozens of masked people dressed in black used hammers to prise up paving stones and throw them at police. At least one incendiary device was also hurled at security forces, AFP journalists reported.
Police responded with tear gas and baton charges. The Paris police prefecture said several hundred rioters had attacked officers with projectiles.
The clashes unfolded despite a major security operation across the country. Nuñez had announced that 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, including elite units, would be deployed, warning that Saturday was expected to be a high-risk day.
The interior minister described the attack on the police officer with a Molotov cocktail as an "attempted murder".
The demonstrations brought together school students, trade unions and Yellow Vest protesters, united by anger over the cost of living, widening inequalities and the state of public services under French President Emmanuel Macron's government.
Some protesters wore Halloween costumes and carried placards and slogans reflecting their anger.
In Lyon, clashes broke out after protesters threw projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas.
In Toulouse, officers used water cannon against an unauthorised demonstration attended by several thousand people, mostly young protesters.
Student groups said they planned further high school and university blockades on Tuesday and Thursday, before joining a demonstration called by workers and trade unions on November 5.
The unrest extended beyond France, with youth-led demonstrations in Germany turning violent in several cities.
Police used water cannon to disperse crowds after demonstrations organised by the group "Gen Z regelt!" escalated. The rallies were held under the slogan of better education, healthcare, climate action and affordable living.
The demonstrations had largely remained peaceful before clashes broke out towards the evening.
In Frankfurt, at least two stores were looted and several others damaged, while police struggled to regain control, according to a Reuters witness.
In Cologne, officers used water cannon after protesters allegedly targeted them with fireworks.
In Berlin, demonstrators threw bottles and eggs, while protesters in Hamburg set barricades on fire, Bild reported.
Fresh anti-government protests also took place in Albania's capital, Tirana, where demonstrators renewed calls for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
Plusieurs cocktails molotov jetés contre les forces de l'ordre à Paris. Situation très tendue porte de Charenton. #31octobre #Paris https://t.co/G32fnaDICG
— Luc Auffret (@LucAuffret) October 31, 2026
A march outside the education ministry turned violent when masked youths threw paving stones and firebombs at police and set rubbish bins alight.
Police were also on alert in Barcelona after an anonymous Tik Tok network called Blocus urged fresh gatherings.
Authorities in Italy were also on alert following recent clashes in Milan, Turin and Bologna.
The demonstrations across France and other European cities reflect growing public anger over living costs, inequalities and public services, with further student blockades and union-led protests planned in France in the coming days.
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