What happened
A group of masked and hooded youths attacked a BFMTV television crew in Lyon on Saturday during a demonstration against the cost of living and educational funding. The Rhône Prefecture described the group as “very violent, with an intent to lynch,” and said riot police had to intervene to protect the journalists.
A freelance journalist working nearby told AFP that one crew member was struck multiple times, while a camera was thrown to the ground, broken, and then stolen. The journalist said he removed his own press badge to avoid being attacked as well.
BFMTV management condemned the physical assaults and said such behavior endangers journalists carrying out their work. Lyon prefecture head Etienne Guyot also condemned the attacks in the strongest possible terms, stating that press freedom and the right to report are fundamental pillars of democracy.
Local newspaper Le Progrès reported that between 8,000 and 15,000 people participated in demonstrations across Lyon. Police announced four arrests, though it is unclear whether any of those detained were involved in the attack on the news crew. Authorities shut the protest down early after a group of hostile individuals, some claiming allegiance to the far left, threw projectiles at officers, set fire to barricades, and vandalized street furniture.
The French Interior Ministry said approximately 106,000 people demonstrated nationwide on Saturday, including 24,000 in Paris. By 6 p.m. local time, 219 people had been arrested and 10 police officers were injured.
