Violence Breaks Out at French Protests on October 31
Listen to the story
On October 31, large protests took place across France.
The turnout was significant, although it was smaller than in previous demonstrations.
In several cities, there were clashes on the edges of the main marches.
In Marseille, people entered a school without permission.
Police made five arrests during an attempted break-in.
City centers in some areas also experienced problems during the day.
Aleksandar Nikolic, a French politician, spoke about the violence afterward.
He is a member of the European Parliament and belongs to the RN party's national bureau.
Nikolic said that the vandals responsible for the damage would not be the ones to pay.
He suggested that other people, not the troublemakers, would bear the cost.
He expressed strong disappointment about this situation.
The details of exactly who would pay were not fully explained in his comments.
The protests were part of a wider pattern of demonstrations happening that day.
Most people who joined the marches did so peacefully.
However, the violence at the edges drew significant attention from politicians and media.
Vocabulary6 words
- protest
- a public event where people gather to show they disagree with something
- clash
- a short fight or conflict between two groups
- arrest
- when police catch someone for breaking the law
- break-in
- entering a building illegally, often to steal
- bureau
- a small group that leads or manages an organization
- vandal
- a person who damages property on purpose
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Quiz
Answer key
1. It was large but smaller than before 2. Five people were arrested 3. The vandals will not pay for the damage
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
On October 31, large _____ took place across France.
The turnout was significant, although it was smaller than in previous demonstrations.
In several cities, there were _____ on the edges of the main marches.
In Marseille, people entered a school without permission.
Police made five _____ during an attempted _____.
City centers in some areas also experienced problems during the day.
Aleksandar Nikolic, a French politician, spoke about the violence afterward.
He is a member of the European Parliament and belongs to the RN party's national _____.
Nikolic said that the _____ responsible for the damage would not be the ones to pay.
He suggested that other people, not the troublemakers, would bear the cost.
He expressed strong disappointment about this situation.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think some protests turn violent even when most participants are peaceful?
- Who do you think should pay for damage caused during protests?
- What responsibilities do political leaders have when commenting on protest violence?
- How might media coverage of violence affect public opinion of a protest's goals?
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