Mobilization of October 17 in Nice: between demands and clashes

Nearly 3,800 people mobilized in the downtown Nice area as part of a call to demonstrate against the rising cost of living this Saturday, October 17. Largely dominated by Nice’s youth, this movement reflects a general sense of frustration with the current political direction. With the arrival of a group of rioters, the gathering turned into a nightmare.

Armed with signs and flags, many demonstrators walked along Avenue Jean-Médecin, passing through Boulevard Grosso, until they reached Place Garibaldi. Launched by the Yellow Vests, this call for mobilization drew together an angry youth movement. This gathering had not been declared at the prefecture. Law enforcement was fully mobilized in response to this spontaneous demonstration.

Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes: “unacceptable urban violence“

Law enforcement attempted to anticipate the movement of the procession as much as possible. Shops closed one after another. A shopkeeper on Chateauneuf Street said she had “closed the shutter at the request of police officers.” They passed through before the demonstrators arrived. An enhanced security system was quickly put in place. A republican security company (CRS) and three columns of departmental gendarmes were added to the National Police forces.

At each passage, roads were partially closed to traffic and secured. On the Promenade des Anglais, tear gas was deployed to attempt to disperse the demonstrators.

Many overflows and urban violence were reported in the downtown area. Hooded individuals dressed in black joined the mobilization. On Avenue Jean-Médecin, following a crowd surge, the storefront of JDSport sustained numerous impacts. Law enforcement positioned themselves to protect the area. “During the afternoon, a dozen shops were damaged and looted by rioters. (…) they also caused damage to urban furniture (…) but also damaged three municipal police vehicles,” denounced in a statement the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes.

On social media, the prefecture called on demonstrators to distance themselves from the vandals. The end of the afternoon was dominated by a series of clashes between police forces and rioters. “Around forty arrests ” were announced.

In a press release from the UDR, Éric Ciotti denounced “an insurrectional offensive against the Republic“, blaming the far left for being its source. While highlighting the “cowardice” of the President of the Republic, the president of the UDR demanded the implementation of immediate measures. Among them, the mayor of Nice requests “to fully assume legitimate use of force by police and gendarmerie” and the listing of violent antifascist groups on terrorist lists.

A convergence of struggles

The violence perpetrated by rioters seems to obscure the demands of the demonstrators. The Yellow Vests joined the student movement this afternoon, after several weeks of mobilization outside educational institutions. The deterioration of study conditions, the lack of resources allocated to education, the increase in cost of living and fuel prices constitute the main demands of the demonstrators. Signs reveal a social and economic reality, with slogans such as “Higher education, lower standard of living” or “Empty tank, full anger.”

Furthermore, slogans against the far right were chanted by this angry youth. At the level of City Hall, the demonstrators sang the Marseillaise as well as slogans hostile to the National Rally and to Éric Ciotti, the mayor of Nice.

On the eve of the presidential election, young generations are determined to make their voices heard.

Julien Picot, member of the Municipal Opposition praised the demonstrators’ initiative on his X account: “congratulations to the people of Nice who mobilized to make the voice of youth heard and defend its aspirations. Youth must be heard, respected and supported.”