France has deployed 70,000 police and security personnel nationwide after last weekend’s clashes, as protests over education conditions and the cost of living coincide with political tensions ahead of presidential elections.
France is deploying around 70,000 police and security personnel nationwide ahead of another weekend of protests, as authorities seek to prevent a repeat of the violence, looting and vandalism that accompanied demonstrations last week.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the deployment at a news conference in Paris on Saturday, warning that social media posts were encouraging violence and looting. The government has increased the number of security personnel by around 20% compared with the previous weekend.
The protests initially began with high school students demanding better learning conditions but have since spread nationwide, attracting support from people angered by the rising cost of living.
President Emmanuel Macron met representatives of secondary school students on Friday in an effort to address their concerns. However, the students urged their peers to continue demonstrating until the government presents concrete proposals to meet their demands.
Authorities are particularly concerned about possible clashes between rival groups during a politically sensitive weekend. Presidential elections are six months away, and recent polling has strengthened the position of far-right leader Marine Le Pen and her National Rally party.
The party is holding its congress in Orleans over the weekend, with thousands of supporters expected to attend. Counter-protesters are also planning demonstrations, prompting concerns that confrontations could erupt.
Local authorities have imposed restrictions in several cities. In Orleans, officials expect between 20,000 and 30,000 people to demonstrate against the National Rally congress, but protesters will not be allowed to gather in the city centre.
Parts of central Lyon will also be closed to demonstrators. In Paris, police withdrew permission for a union-organised march between Bastille and Nation squares and proposed an alternative route on the southeastern outskirts of the capital. Unions have vowed to proceed along the original route, citing safety concerns over the proposed alternative.
In Marseille, authorities reversed an earlier protest ban on Friday and granted exceptional permission for a union-led demonstration. Meanwhile, major museums, including the Louvre, are set to close on Saturday, and the Art Basel fair has been shortened.
The government has sought to distinguish peaceful demonstrations from criminal acts committed during last Saturday’s unrest. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said courts had sentenced 217 people to prison over the violence, around half of whom were first-time offenders.
Macron has called for severe punishment for those involved in criminal acts and accused far-left groups of attempting to undermine the republic during last weekend’s unrest.
The security measures have drawn criticism from human rights organisations. Amnesty International warned that the restrictions risk undermining the right to peaceful assembly. Human Rights Watch researcher Eva Cosse said police must balance public safety with their responsibility to allow peaceful protests. She also expressed concern about reports of children suffering serious injuries from crowd-control weapons.
Political tensions have added to uncertainty ahead of the presidential election. A Harris Interactive poll for M6 and RTL reportedly placed Le Pen at 33% to 35% in the first round. The survey projected a runoff between Le Pen and hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, with Le Pen receiving a substantial lead in the projected contest.
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