DUJARRIC SAYS UN CONDEMNS VIOLENCE, CALLS ON GOVERNMENTS TO HEAR PROTESTERS' DEMANDS

NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 2 /SRNA – RIA Novosti/ – The United Nations /UN/ condemns the violence at protests across Europe but calls on authorities to listen to the protesters' demands, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

"Violence is to be condemned, but what we are seeing cannot overshadow the legitimate concerns raised by the protesters," Dujarric said.

The protests began in France in mid-September, when school students took to the streets of Paris to demand better conditions in schools.

They were later joined by protesters unhappy with rising prices, and the protests then spread to the rest of the country.

Youth protests were held over the weekend in 34 German cities, and about 120,000 people took to the streets on October 31.

The National Union of Students of France today announced new large-scale protests for November 3 and 5.

A movement in Germany made a similar announcement, calling for large demonstrations on November 20.