French Protests Return: 70,000 Officers Deployed to Manage Second Wave
Mass demonstrations focused on education and living costs resumed in Paris and other cities, prompting a significantly larger security presence than the previous week.
By Thiago Kovalenko ·
France is entering a new phase of civil unrest as thousands of citizens took to the streets on Saturday to demand better conditions in schools and lower costs of living. This second wave of mass demonstrations arrives just one week after the country experienced some of its most volatile riots in recent years, setting a tense backdrop for public life.
In Paris, the march started at Porte d'Italie and was scheduled to conclude at Porte de Vincennes along the Boulevards des Marechaux in the southeast. Local authorities designated this as the only permitted route after banning an originally negotiated path through the city center. They also prohibited protests organized by groups that are not part of official unions, a decision that frustrated many participants.
Protesters expressed anger over the last-minute route change. Emma, a podcaster and protester, described the move as a government tactic intended to drain the movement's energy. Monica, a retired public education worker, felt the strategy was designed to make the movement invisible. Both women chose not to share their last names.
The crowds included students, teachers, ecologists, nurses, and union representatives. They danced and chanted slogans, with some calling for President Emmanuel Macron to resign. One group shouted that there were too many billionaires and that they were preparing for revolution, while another chanted that they were all anti-fascists.
Businesses in central Paris prepared for the event by shutting down and covering shop windows with protective panels. Some retailers hired private security, and at least 24 metro stations were closed at the request of the police prefecture. Major cultural sites like the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay were closed for the day, and Art Basel Paris cancelled its weekend program.
Authorities deployed more than 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide, aiming to avoid a repeat of the events on October 17. That day saw peaceful protests turn into widespread looting, vandalism, and clashes, with thousands of businesses damaged and over 2,000 people taken into custody. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that 20 percent more officers were on duty than the previous weekend, with the elite RAID unit supporting other operations rather than directly managing crowds.
By early Saturday afternoon, police reported at least 135 arrests nationwide and the seizure of various weapons, noting that the situation remained calm. Protests were banned in the downtown areas of Montpellier, Rouen, and Nice. In Marseille, a union march was authorized under strict conditions, while police in Lyon used tear gas to disperse about 150 demonstrators. The Yellow Vest movement has announced its own protest for October 31.
The unrest began in mid-September when high school students blockaded their schools over dilapidated buildings, teacher shortages, and an unfair university admission system. President Macron met with student representatives for the first time on Friday, promising more teachers and a deep overhaul of the Parcoursup system. Students said they would continue mobilizing until the government presents concrete actions.
This turmoil occurs about six months before a pivotal presidential election, with Macron barred from a third term and leaving office in 2027. Marine Le Pen, who leads recent polls by a wide margin and has campaigned on restoring law and order, was in Orleans as her National Rally held a party congress. Authorities expected 20,000 to 30,000 people to join a counter-demonstration there, where thousands shouted anti-fascist slogans.
