French Security Posture: 70,000 Officers Deployed for Second Protest Weekend

French authorities deployed up to 70,000 police officers on Saturday to secure major cities during the second weekend of nationwide protests against the cost of living. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that 135 individuals were detained during the demonstrations. He stated that authorities seized various items, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns. Nuñez characterized the national situation as stable, noting that no major incidents had occurred so far.

The deployment included support from helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. This security framework was designed to prevent a recurrence of the unrest seen the previous week, when more than 500,000 people participated in protests. The government aimed to manage the crowd size and maintain order in key urban centers where large turnouts were anticipated.

In Lyon, where authorities had prohibited demonstrations, approximately 150 protesters attempted to block a road near the city center. Police responded with tear gas to disperse the group. A 21-year-old student, who spoke to Agence France-Presse anonymously, observed that officers were highly mobile. The student noted that police units moved quickly to disperse marches before they could fully form.

In Orleans, thousands of people marched to protest 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. Current surveys indicate that Le Pen is the leading candidate for the presidency, with elections scheduled for six months from now. Participants chanted slogans demanding that Macron resign and Le Pen be imprisoned. Police tallied 11,000 attendees, while organizers claimed the crowd reached 26,000. Roughly 50 groups, including unions, left-wing parties, and student organizations, had called for the protest. The event concluded peacefully in the early afternoon, while the political congress is set to continue through Sunday.

In Paris, authorities described the atmosphere at the Porte d'Italie as calm. This location hosted the city's only authorized march. Police moved the event from the originally planned site at the Bastille to the southeastern edge of the city at the last minute. Union organizers accepted the change reluctantly. Murielle Guilbert, a union representative, described the move as scandalous because it barred protesters from demonstrating in their preferred location. She added that wages have not yet risen to the appropriate level. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it is normal for people to be angry under these conditions.

The ongoing unrest has disrupted daily life in the capital. Major museums have closed, and many businesses have boarded up their storefronts. Art Basel opened for a single day on Friday, with organizers canceling the weekend program. The first NFL game in France, involving 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. Approximately 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend's unrest.

The protests originated last month when high school students in southeastern Paris demonstrated for better conditions. The movement expanded as participants demanded relief from rising living costs. The Yellow Vests, a group that emerged eight years ago to protest Macron's policies, announced plans for further demonstrations on Oct. 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, citing the government's authoritarian drift.

Unrest has also affected other European nations. Italy sent additional soldiers to Milan following looting and clashes a week earlier. Premier Giorgia Meloni announced tougher penalties for minors, who police said comprised a large portion of the violent crowds. In Tirana, Albania, riot police used water cannons on student protesters demanding lower tuition and an end to corruption in education. Thousands of retirees marched in Madrid over pension issues, and a housing protest was expected in Lisbon.