France arrests over 290 at price protests

Police arrested more than 290 people across France on Saturday as hundreds of thousands demonstrated against soaring prices, inequality and police violence, the interior ministry said.

The ministry said the marches “proceeded smoothly within the framework of the declared demonstrations”. It said “radical elements” in several cities, including Bordeaux, Toulouse and Marseille, had attempted to enter city centres “with the aim of carrying out vandalism and looting”.