France tightens security for protest weekend
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported 135 arrests and the deployment of 70,000 officers as demonstrations against living costs continued in major cities on Saturday.
By Ayanda Boateng ·
French authorities deployed up to 70,000 police officers, armored vehicles, and helicopters on Saturday to manage nationwide protests against the high cost of living. The security effort aimed to prevent a recurrence of the unrest seen the previous week, which drew more than half a million participants. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that 135 people had been arrested by the end of the day.
Police seized various items from demonstrators, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, improvised weapons, and a katana. Nuñez noted that aside from these incidents, there had been no major incidents in the country. This level of mobilization followed last weekend's disruption, during which approximately 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted.
In Lyon, where demonstrations were formally banned, approximately 150 protesters near the city center attempted to block a road. Officers responded with tear gas to disperse the group. A 21-year-old student who spoke to Agence France-Presse anonymously described the police as highly mobile, noting that they disperse marches before they fully form.
In Orléans, thousands of people marched against a congress held by Marine Le Pen's National Rally party. Le Pen is using the event to launch her bid to succeed President Emmanuel Macron in elections held six months from now. Surveys indicate she is currently the best-placed candidate to win. Protesters chanted slogans targeting both political figures. Police counted 11,000 participants, while organizers claimed the number reached 26,000. French media reported the protest ended peacefully early in the afternoon.
The mood in Paris was described as calm as hundreds gathered at the Porte d'Italie for the city's only authorized march. Police moved the location at the last minute from the Bastille to the southeastern edge of the city. Union representative Murielle Guilbert called the move scandalous, arguing that President Macron had barred protesters from demonstrating in their preferred location. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it is normal for people to be angry given current wage levels.
Daily life in the capital has been affected by the ongoing unrest. Major museums remain closed, and many businesses have boarded up their storefronts. Art Basel, which opened on Friday, cancelled its weekend program to operate for only one day. The first NFL game in France, featuring the New Orleans Saints, remains scheduled for Sunday, though some related venues were closed on Saturday. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, originally planned for Sunday, has been moved to Monday night.
The protests began last month when high school students in the southeast of Paris demonstrated for better conditions. The movement widened as participants demanded relief from rising living costs. The Yellow Vests, a group that emerged about eight years ago to protest against Macron, announced they will hold more demonstrations on Oct. 31. They plan rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, condemning what they describe as the authoritarian drift of the government.
