Ghost and zombie masks were not just festive costumes for Halloween in France on Saturday, as they appeared amidst scenes of protests that swept through several cities, blending terrifying characters with smoke from fires and tear gas, in a scene that looked like it was taken from a horror movie.

In one of the most striking images, a person wearing a "Ghost Face" mask, the famous character from the "Scream" horror film series, was seen near burning fires on tram tracks in Bordeaux, coinciding with demonstrations organized by the Yellow Vests movement, unions, and students protesting against rising living costs and social inequality.

In Paris, the end of the march turned into clashes between police and groups of masked protesters, as some used hammers to pry up cobblestones and throw them at security forces, while a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the police, who responded with tear gas and charged to disperse the crowds.

The capital witnessed demonstrators in various costumes, including Spider-Man, Frankenstein, and zombie characters, while a police helicopter flew over the eastern part of the city, and riot police were deployed in the streets.

The French Ministry of the Interior estimated the number of participants in Saturday's protests at around 320,000 nationwide, including 70,000 in Paris, marking the third consecutive weekend of protests. Although most marches proceeded peacefully, tensions flared again in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Toulouse.

Authorities had deployed around 70,000 police and gendarmes across the country in anticipation of potential riots during Halloween night, especially after calls circulated online to organize nighttime gatherings under the slogan "Night of Darkness" and ignite what they described as a "revolution."

In recent weeks, protests have expanded beyond students' demands for improved school and university conditions to include rising living costs, housing, social inequality, and objections to police treatment of demonstrators.

Thus, a night that was supposed to be filled with ghost masks and horror costumes turned into a new security test for French authorities, where terrifying characters were no longer just part of Halloween celebrations but became the backdrop for real scenes of clashes, gas, and fires in the streets.