PARIS — The French government ordered 70,000 police officers into the streets Friday as the nation braces for another round of mass demonstrations, racing to prevent a recurrence of the fatal clashes and destruction that erupted across several cities last weekend.
The extensive security posture includes SWAT teams, helicopters, armored transports, water cannons and canine units, CNN reported, citing figures from the French interior ministry. In Paris, additional French army personnel who typically conduct counterterrorism patrols will take over fixed security details to free up law enforcement personnel for crowd control operations.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned on Friday that officials will be “uncompromising with those who engage in destruction,” according to CNN.
Landmarks shut down across the capital
In anticipation of Saturday’s demonstration in Paris, authorities and cultural institutions moved swiftly to minimize potential hazards. Municipal crews worked through the week to remove trash bins, construction equipment and street barriers that rioters could burn or use as projectiles, CNN reported. At least two dozen metro stops will close during the march, and city landmarks including the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie announced they will remain closed Saturday.
The disturbances also curtailed other public gatherings. The Paris National Opera canceled its scheduled Saturday performances, and the Art Basel fair concluded its Paris program two days ahead of schedule, CNN reported. An NFL match between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints remains scheduled for Sunday at the Stade de France, though league officials canceled an associated fan rally in the capital.
Deadly unrest and widespread fallout
Tensions mounted after weeks of youth-led protests over education, inflation and diminishing employment opportunities escalated into severe unrest. Following the demonstrations on Saturday, Oct. 17, organizers estimated that 800,000 people took part across the country, while the interior ministry placed attendance at 550,000, according to the Washington Monthly.
The subsequent violence resulted in at least two deaths and left more than 1,000 demonstrators and police officers hurt, including two individuals whose hands were severed, according to CNN and the Washington Monthly. French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said authorities questioned approximately 2,700 individuals and jailed 232 people, while more than 3,000 businesses suffered looting or vandalism nationwide.
Political scrutiny and upcoming marches
The handling of last weekend’s unrest triggered backlash from civic leaders. In an editorial published by the newspaper Libération, Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan and Lyon Mayor Grégory Doucet argued that entire districts went unprotected and questioned how looters operated for extended periods without police arriving on scene, the Washington Monthly reported.
Meanwhile, the investigative outlet Mediapart reported that state intelligence officials were directed to pin blame for the chaos on the far-left party La France Insoumise. Nuñez denied that instruction but asserted that “the link between LFI and certain fringe groups is real,” according to the Washington Monthly.
Saturday’s central rally in Paris was organized by France’s prominent student union, UNEF, and the major labor confederation CGT, with farmers, environmentalists and Yellow Vest demonstrators expected to participate, CNN reported. French President Emmanuel Macron barred all non-trade union demonstrations for Saturday in an effort to contain further turmoil, leaving the country waiting to see whether tightened restrictions and massive police lines will succeed in maintaining order.
