France is on high alert ahead of nationwide protests scheduled for today, a week after the country was rocked by some of the most serious unrest in decades.
Despite restrictions on public gatherings, hundreds of thousands of protesters are expected to take to the streets in Paris and other French cities as a new wave of demonstrations organized by students, trade unions, and various anti-government groups gets underway.
The Interior Ministry has announced that 70,000 police officers will be deployed to reinforce security across French cities. Authorities have faced criticism from opposition parties, which have accused them of failing to anticipate the scale of the unrest on October 17.
“We will leave nothing unaddressed,” Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said.
“We will show no leniency toward vandals, looters, and anyone who commits acts of violence,” he added, noting that, alongside the planned demonstrations, calls for violence by far-left groups had also been observed on social media.
Following expedited court proceedings, hundreds of people have been sentenced to prison for vandalism, arson, and looting.
French President Emmanuel Macron met with representatives of secondary school students on Friday, ahead of the protests.
The representatives said Macron had given them clear assurances, while also urging students to “continue mobilizing.”
Earlier this week, Macron issued a decree allowing only demonstrations organized by recognized trade unions to take place on Saturday. Meanwhile, several major cities, including Lyon, Nice, and Montpellier, have announced blanket bans on public gatherings.
Nevertheless, these measures do not appear to have deterred organizers. Hundreds of demonstrations, both large and small, have been planned across France.
Following a week in which several cities, including parts of the capital, were placed under partial curfews, restrictions on protests vary from one city to another. In Marseille, for example, authorities quickly withdrew an order banning all demonstrations, allowing a march organized by trade unions to proceed.
In Paris, a march organized by a student union and supported by workers’ groups has been required to follow a route that avoids the city center.
Meanwhile, authorities and businesses are preparing for the possibility of renewed unrest.
The Louvre Museum, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Picasso Museum will remain closed on Saturday.
Paris Saint-Germain’s scheduled match has been postponed until Monday, while several businesses have boarded up their storefronts to protect against potential looting.
Members of the Yellow Vests movement are also expected to join the protests as the movement gains renewed momentum. The movement, which has attracted support from both the left and the right, organized large-scale and divisive demonstrations during Macron’s first presidential term.
