Nearly 1,000 people were arrested in France during Saturday protests as clashes between demonstrators and police spread across Europe. Authorities across France, Albania, Italy, Spain and Portugal reported large demonstrations focused on the rising cost of living, pensions, housing, education, corruption and opposition to war. Security measures were stepped up in several capitals after violence during earlier demonstrations, with large numbers of police and, in some areas, soldiers deployed. In France, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the number of arrests was close to 1,000 and would likely increase. The French government said 410,000 protesters marched nationwide, while organisers put the figure at nearly 800,000. In Paris, the demonstration was dispersed along the Cours de Vincennes after clashes with law enforcement. A Gendarmerie helicopter was deployed to support ground units and locate remaining groups of rioters. Prefectural police said more than 500 rioters were present toward the end of the march, and police used water cannons and tear gas grenades after projectiles were thrown. Nunez said nearly 385 arrests had been made by the same time the previous Saturday, when violence and looting were reported. Across the Balkans, thousands protested in Tirana, Albania. Police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators as clashes continued. Euronews reports government buildings were attacked, with dozens detained, and authorities said more than 300 protesters and police personnel were injured. In Italy, thousands marched in cities including Milan, Rome, Turin, Naples, Bologna and Florence. Police said they made nine arrests and briefly detained 371 people across demonstrations in eight cities. Of those taken to police stations, 110 were minors. In Spain, protesters in Madrid demanded pension increases linked to actual inflation, higher minimum pensions tied to the minimum wage, measures to close the gender pension gap and safeguards against privatisation of the public pension system. In Portugal, affordable housing was a central demand as demonstrators took to the streets over housing costs.