France Deploys 70,000 Officers as Protests Enter Second Weekend

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced on Saturday that 135 people had been arrested across France during a second weekend of nationwide protests against the cost of living. The government deployed approximately 70,000 security personnel to major cities to prevent a repeat of the violence seen the previous week, when more than 500,000 demonstrators took to the streets. Nuñez stated that officers seized various items from protesters, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns. He described the overall situation as stable, noting that there had been no major incident in the country so far.

The demonstrations began last month when high school students in southeastern Paris protested for better working conditions. The movement expanded as citizens demanded relief from rising expenses. The Yellow Vests, a group that first emerged eight years ago to challenge President Emmanuel Macron, have announced plans for further demonstrations on October 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, criticizing what they call the government's authoritarian drift. These new actions follow the unrest of the past two weekends, which has disrupted daily life in the capital.

In Lyon, police used tear gas to disperse about 150 protesters near the city center who attempted to block a road. Demonstrations in the city had been formally banned. A 21-year-old student speaking to Agence France-Presse described the police tactics as highly mobile. The student noted that officers often dispersed marching groups before they could fully form. In Orléans, thousands of people marched against a congress hosted by Marine Le Pen's National Rally party. Le Pen is using this event to launch her presidential bid against Macron, with elections six months away. Surveys indicate Le Pen is currently in the best position to win. Police counted 11,000 participants in Orléans, while organizers claimed the number reached 26,000. Marchers chanted slogans targeting both leaders, demanding that Macron resign and Le Pen go to prison. Approximately 50 groups, including unions and left-wing parties, called for the protest, which ended peacefully in the early afternoon.

In Paris, authorities described the atmosphere as calm despite the presence of hundreds of protesters. The city's only authorized march was held at the Porte d'Italie rather than the originally planned location at Bastille. Police moved the route to the southeastern edge of the city at the last minute. Union representative Murielle Guilbert called the change scandalous, arguing that Macron had barred protesters from demonstrating where they wished to go. Guilbert added that wages have not risen to the level they should. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it is normal for people to be angry. The security presence included helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons.

The unrest has forced changes to cultural and sporting events in France. Major museums in Paris remain closed, and many businesses have boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened on Friday for a single day only, with organizers canceling the weekend program. The first NFL game in France, featuring the New Orleans Saints, is still scheduled for Sunday, though some related 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. Around 3,000 shops across the country were damaged or looted during the previous weekend's protests. The French government expects the National Rally congress in Orléans to continue through Sunday.