France Mobilizes 70,000 Officers for Protest

French authorities deployed more than 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide on Saturday to manage the second wave of mass demonstrations.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that this represented a 20 percent increase in staffing compared to the previous weekend. The security push aimed to prevent a repeat of the chaos seen on October 17, when peaceful protests turned into widespread riots involving looting, vandalism, and the custody of over 2,000 people.

In Paris, local authorities permitted only one route for the march. The procession started at Porte d'Italie and ended at Porte de Vincennes, traveling along the Boulevards des Marechaux. This path replaced a previously negotiated central route between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation. Officials also banned protests organized by groups other than unions.

The last-minute route change frustrated many participants. Emma, a podcaster and protester, described the move as a government tactic to drain energy from the movement. Monica, a retired public education worker, said the restriction made the movement seem invisible to authorities.

Marchers included students, teachers, nurses, ecologists, and union representatives. They danced, chanted slogans, and demanded President Emmanuel Macron resign. One group shouted, "Too many billionaires; We are preparing the revolution," while another chanted, "We are all anti-fascists."

Businesses in central Paris shuttered early, covering windows with protective panels and hiring private security. Police requested the closure of at least 24 metro stations. Major cultural institutions, including the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay, closed for the day, and Art Basel Paris cancelled its weekend events.

By early Saturday afternoon, police reported at least 135 arrests nationwide and the seizure of various weapons. They acknowledged the situation remained calm. Protests were banned in downtown areas of Montpellier, Rouen, and Nice. In Lyon, police used tear gas to disperse about 150 demonstrators. A union march in Marseille proceeded under strict conditions. The Yellow Vest movement scheduled its own protest for October 31.

The unrest began in mid-September when high school students blockaded schools over poor building conditions, teacher shortages, and the university admission system. On Friday, Macron met with student representatives for the first time since the protests started. He promised more teachers and a major overhaul of the Parcoursup system. Students said they would continue mobilizing until the government presents concrete actions. More than half a million people had taken to the streets on October 17.

The turmoil occurred about six months before the presidential election. Macron is barred from a third term and leaves office in 2027. Marine Le Pen, who leads recent polls, held a National Rally party congress in Orleans. Thousands of people shouted anti-fascist slogans outside the event, and authorities expected 20,000 to 30,000 people to join a counter-demonstration.