Clashes Erupt Prior To The High Cost of Living Protest - Paris Protesters erect barricades while the French Republican Security Corps (CRS – Compagnies Républicaines de Securite) and BRAV-M troops respond during clashes prior to the start of a demonstration protesting against the high cost of living at Rue Saint Denis, near Place de la Republique in Paris on October 17, 2026 as part of a nationwide call for mobilisation bringing together various groups expressing their anger: former Yellow Vests , secondary school and university students, climate activists and even farmers. After weeks of student protests, France faces broader, nationwide demonstrations on October 17, 2026 over the cost of living, setting up a potentially fraught six mont