Laurent Nuñez Orders 70,000 Officers to Streets as France Faces New Protest Wave
A massive security deployment aims to protect cities from a second round of demonstrations driven by student and worker demands for better funding and wages.
By Jason Kovalenko ·
The tension in France reached a critical point this week as the government prepared for a second wave of street protests just one week after the previous demonstrations resulted in looted shops and burned vehicles. The central conflict involves a growing coalition of students and workers who are demanding significant changes to school funding and a response to the rising cost of living. While the state has moved to secure its major cities, the public is mobilizing to press for economic and educational reforms.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that the scale of the operation would be historic. He stated that up to 70,000 police officers would be deployed across the country to manage the events. This massive manpower is supported by a full range of tactical equipment, including helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. The deployment reflects the government's determination to maintain order while allowing the right to demonstrate.
In the capital, authorities made a strategic change to the protest route on Friday. The march is now confined to the southeastern edge of Paris, specifically running between Porte d'Italie and Porte de Vincennes. This route differs from the originally planned path that would have run from Bastille to Nation. A few dozen gendarmes were positioned beneath the Arc de Triomphe and along nearby avenues in central Paris, signaling a heavy police presence in the most visible parts of the city.
The movement has evolved rapidly since it began last month. It started with a specific grievance over staff shortages at a single high school southeast of Paris but has expanded into a broader national issue. Students are now demanding more teachers, better school infrastructure, and an increase in university places. Simultaneously, trade unions are pushing for higher wages and stronger pension protections to help households manage their daily expenses.
Student groups have formalized their demands into a joint 10-point plan. This plan calls for the creation of 250,000 additional places in higher education and the end of the selection process used by the Parcoursup admissions system. Financial support is also a key component, with demands for an extra 200 euros in monthly student grants and a rent freeze for public student housing.
The economic impact on cultural venues and businesses has been significant this weekend. Major institutions including the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Picasso Museum, and the Grand Palais, which is hosting a major Cézanne exhibit, closed their doors on Saturday. Art Basel, which opened to the public for a single day on Friday, cancelled its weekend program due to the threat of unrest. Shopkeepers across the country have been barricading their stores, with about 3,000 shops reported as damaged or looted during the previous weekend's protests.
Not all demonstrations were permitted to proceed. While marches were scheduled in Paris and Marseille, local authorities banned others in cities such as Lyon, Nice, and Montpellier. French media reported that police used tear gas in Lyon on Saturday morning. Trade unions have criticized these bans as violations of freedom of expression, a right protected by the constitution.
Outside the capital, the physical damage from last week's events remains a focus for investigators. Two suspects in the fire that nearly destroyed the 19th-century city hall in Limoges were placed under formal investigation and held pending trial. The probe includes charges of attempted murder of a public official. In Paris, police prefect Patrice Faure urged shopkeepers to hire security guards, although he later clarified that protecting businesses is ultimately the government's responsibility.
President Emmanuel Macron faces this crisis during the final stretch of his term, with his popularity at its lowest level since he took office in 2017. He has stated that the current measures are necessary to protect city centers, businesses, and public buildings. In Orléans, thousands gathered for an anti-far-right protest held alongside a two-day congress of Marine Le Pen's party, a sign of the broader political tensions ahead of next spring's presidential election. Victoria Ambrosini, an art critic and teacher, noted that money is now concentrated in the hands of very few people, adding that it is not possible anymore.
