French Interior Ministry deploys 70,000 officers for second protest weekend
Authorities arrested 135 people and seized weapons including a katana and steel balls as demonstrations over living costs continued in major cities.
By Samir Doyle ·
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez ordered the deployment of 70,000 police officers to major cities on Saturday. The security force included helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. The government aimed to prevent a repeat of the previous weekend's unrest, which followed nationwide protests against high living costs. More than 500,000 people participated in the demonstrations last week.
Nuñez reported that authorities arrested 135 individuals during the second weekend of protests. Police seized a variety of weapons from demonstrators. The list of confiscated items included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, and steel balls. Officers also took improvised weapons, airsoft guns, and a katana. Nuñez stated that there had been no major incident in the country so far.
In Lyon, police used tear gas to disperse a group of approximately 150 protesters. These demonstrators had briefly blocked a road near the city center despite a ban on public gatherings. A 21-year-old student speaking to Agence France-Presse described the police as highly mobile. The student noted that officers dispersed marches before they could fully form.
In Orleans, thousands of people marched against a congress hosted by Marine Le Pen's National Rally party. Le Pen is using the event to launch her bid to succeed President Emmanuel Macron. Elections are scheduled for six months from now, and current surveys position Le Pen as the frontrunner. Police counted 11,000 participants in the march, while organizers claimed the number reached 26,000. About 50 groups, including unions and student organizations, called for the protest. Chants included demands for Macron to resign and for Le Pen to go to prison.
In Paris, authorities described the mood as calm at the Porte d'Italie. This location hosted 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 representative Murielle Guilbert called the location change scandalous. She argued that wages have not risen to the level they should. The move disrupted daily life, with major museums closed and many businesses boarding up windows.
The protests have affected major events in the capital. Art Basel opened for one day on Friday before organizers cancelled the weekend program. The first NFL game in France, featuring the New Orleans Saints, remains scheduled for Sunday. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais moved from Sunday to Monday night. Around 3,000 shops across France suffered damage or looting during the previous weekend's unrest.
