France to deploy 70,000 police for Saturday protests
- According to Reuters, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that 70,000 police officers, reinforced by specialist units, will be deployed for Saturday's demonstrations, while blaming ultra-left factions for inciting...
- The government is seeking to prevent a repeat of demonstrations that descended into riots, looting, and arson in several cities last week, triggering widespread criticism of authorities for...
- The nationwide deployment will feature 10,000 additional officers compared to the previous week, alongside specialized RAID and GIGN units, mounted police, helicopters, drones, and anti-drone technology, as outlined...
According to Reuters, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that 70,000 police officers, reinforced by specialist units, will be deployed for Saturday’s demonstrations, while blaming ultra-left factions for inciting violence and looting following the unrest that shook the nation the previous weekend, Reuters reported.
Police Deployment and Security Measures
The government is seeking to prevent a repeat of demonstrations that descended into riots, looting, and arson in several cities last week, triggering widespread criticism of authorities for not preventing the mayhem. During a press briefing, Nunez noted that officials had detected numerous messages on the internet from hard-left elements encouraging assaults and prompting activists to focus on public buildings.
The nationwide deployment will feature 10,000 additional officers compared to the previous week, alongside specialized RAID and GIGN units, mounted police, helicopters, drones, and anti-drone technology, as outlined by Nunez. Armoured vehicles and water cannon vehicles would also be available, while curfews imposed in some sensitive areas would remain in force.
Museum Closures and Event Cancellations
Authorities have only permitted a union march in Paris for Saturday, turning down applications for gatherings submitted by the Yellow Vest anti-establishment movement—which first appeared in 2018—and France’s primary student organization, UNEF. Prohibitions on demonstrations have likewise been enacted in numerous municipalities outside the capital, encompassing Marseille and Lyon, the second and third largest cities in France.
Despite the restrictions, UNEF announced that its demonstrations—which originated from high school walkouts last month protesting poor facilities and a lack of teachers—will proceed as planned. Anxiety over potential chaos led several prominent Parisian cultural venues, including the Louvre, to shut their doors on Saturday, alongside the Art Basel fair, which stayed closed throughout the entire weekend.
Political Flashpoints and Union Criticisms
Authorities are also concerned that the annual congress of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally in Orleans could become a flashpoint, with left-wing and anti-racist groups announcing counter-demonstrations. Le Pen, who leads the polls for next year’s presidential contest, has seen her support grow amidst the recent violence, utilizing the disturbances to argue that state authority is breaking down.
Marylise Leon, the general secretary of the CFDT, one of the nation’s largest trade unions, criticized President Emmanuel Macron for refusing to grant permission to more rallies. It’s counterproductive because there is a lot of anger, a lot of anger and a demand to be considered and to be listened to,
she told French broadcaster TF1, adding that it is not for the president to decide who can legitimately request to protest.