France braces for another day of mass protests as security on high alert
More than 70,000 police officers and gendarmes are set to be deployed across France as the country braces for a new round of protests against deteriorating school conditions and rising living costs.
French authorities have made clear they are determined to prevent Saturday's demonstrations from descending into the violence that erupted last weekend. On October 17, protests that had been largely peaceful were marred by widespread looting, vandalism and clashes, with thousands of businesses damaged or ransacked. More than 2,000 people were taken into police custody, according to official figures.
Protest Ban
Authorities have adopted a highly restrictive approach to demonstrations on Saturday. President Emmanuel Macron said requests to protest from trade unions would be examined by local authorities, while demonstrations organised by other groups would be banned wherever possible. In several cities, including Montpellier, Rouen and Nice, protests were prohibited in their downtown areas.
This security escalation comes at the expense of our freedoms, seriously endangering the right to demonstrate peacefully and raising fears of a further escalation of violence in our country.
Security Measures
To prevent a repeat of last weekend's violence, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 20 percent more officers would be deployed than during the previous weekend. The operation will also involve RAID, an elite police unit usually tasked with counterterrorism and other high-risk interventions.
In central Paris, businesses were shuttered and shop windows covered with protective panels, while some retailers hired private security. At least 24 metro stations were closed at the request of the police prefecture. Major cultural institutions, including the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay, also closed for the day.
Broader Unrest
The protests began in mid-September, when high school students blockaded their schools over deteriorating conditions, including dilapidated buildings and teacher shortages, as well as what they see as an unfair system for accessing higher education.
On October 17, more than half a million people took to the streets, following calls from student organisations and remnants of the Yellow Vest movement. The unrest comes as France approaches a pivotal presidential election in six months.
The violence has put a renewed focus on the far right, whose leading figure, Marine Le Pen, has long campaigned on a promise to restore law and order. Recent polls have placed her as the leading contender for the presidency by a wide margin.
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