Another wave of protests sweeps Europe over various grievances

Baku, November 1, AZERTACAnother wave of protests swept across major European cities on Saturday, with demonstrators voicing grievances over issues ranging from living conditions to disputes involving public institutions, according to Xinhua. Meanwhile, calls for gatherings on social media prompted police to step up security in several cities. Public services, the cost of living and housing affordability remained key concerns in many of the protests. In France, around 320,000 people took part in a new round of protests on Saturday, including about 70,000 in Paris, according to Interior Ministry figures. Organizers put the nationwide turnout at nearly 500,000, including 200,000 in the capital. Around 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed nationwide. Most marches passed off peacefully, although clashes with police and other disturbances were reported in several cities.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told reporters that, according to a preliminary tally, 422 people had been arrested nationwide. In Germany, demonstrations took place in more than 30 cities on Saturday. Protesters called for greater investment in public services, measures to address the rising cost of living, and opposed compulsory military service. By late afternoon, organizers reported more than 68,000 participants, based on figures from 12 cities. As in France, the demonstrations in Germany were largely peaceful, but clashes broke out in several cities in the evening. German news agency dpa reported that police officers were injured in Frankfurt, barricades were set ablaze in Hamburg, and officers came under attack in Bremen. In Italy, protesters remained camped near Rome's Colosseum on Saturday following nationwide demonstrations over living costs and public services. Workers and other…