French Interior Ministry: 779 detained during weekend protests

The French Interior Ministry announced on Sunday the detention of more than 770 people during protests held over the weekend, saying in a statement that the number of detainees reached 779 across the country.

The ministry added that it had not recorded major incidents late on Saturday evening, indicating that the situation had not gotten out of control according to its assessment.

France on Saturday saw demonstrations attended by hundreds of thousands, protesting a sharp rise in prices and unequal opportunities; among the protesters were high school pupils and university students, in the third wave of protests that have recurred on weekends.