France deploys 70,000 police for second cost-of-living protest weekend

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez ordered the deployment of up to 70,000 police officers across France on Saturday. The security detail included helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. The goal was to manage nationwide demonstrations against high living costs and prevent a repeat of the previous weekend's chaos. Nuñez stated that 135 people had been arrested during the day. He also reported the seizure of various items, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns. The minister noted that no major incident had occurred in the country so far.

The current unrest traces back to last month. It began when high school students in southeastern Paris protested for better conditions. The movement expanded as citizens demanded relief from rising prices. More than half a million people joined demonstrations the previous week. Around 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during that first weekend. The Yellow Vests, a group that formed about eight years ago to protest against President Emmanuel Macron, announced plans for further actions. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls on Oct. 31.

Protest conditions varied by city. In Lyon, where demonstrations were banned, approximately 150 protesters attempted to block a road near the center. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. A 21-year-old student told Agence France-Presse that officers were highly mobile. The student said, “They come and disperse marches before they even form.” In Orleans, thousands marched against a congress of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party. Le Pen is using the event to launch her presidential campaign against Macron. Elections are set for six months from now, and surveys indicate Le Pen is best positioned to win. Police counted 11,000 participants in Orleans, while organizers claimed the number reached 26,000. About 50 groups, including unions and left-wing parties, organized the event. The march ended peacefully in the early afternoon.

In Paris, authorities described the atmosphere as calm. Hundreds of people gathered at the Porte d'Italie for the city’s only authorized march. Police moved the event from the Bastille to the southeastern edge of the city at the last minute. Union organizers accepted the change reluctantly. Murielle Guilbert, a union representative, called the move “scandalous.” She said Macron had barred protesters from demonstrating in their preferred locations. Guilbert also noted that wages had not risen to the expected level. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it was “normal for people to be angry.” The protests have disrupted daily life in the capital. Major museums are closed, and many businesses have boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened for a single day on Friday, cancelling its weekend program. The first NFL game in France, featuring the New Orleans Saints, remains scheduled for Sunday, though some venues were shut on Saturday. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, originally planned for Sunday, has been moved to Monday night.

The unrest has also affected other European countries. Italy sent additional soldiers to Milan following looting and clashes. Premier Giorgia Meloni announced tougher penalties for minors, who police said formed much of the violent crowd. 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.

The National Rally congress in Orleans is expected to continue through Sunday. Police will maintain their security posture in major cities. The next round of Yellow Vest demonstrations is scheduled for Oct. 31. Protests in France have now entered their second consecutive weekend of activity.