Paris and cities across France are on high alert as the government readies a massive police presence for a new wave of demonstrations scheduled for Saturday. The protests come a week after the country’s worst unrest in decades, when thousands of rioters looted shops and set buildings ablaze.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that 70,000 officers would be deployed nationwide, describing the response as “uncompromising” against those who “commit acts of violence.” The Interior Ministry has also imposed sweeping restrictions, allowing only demonstrations organized by recognized trade unions to take place on Saturday. Several major cities—including Lyon, Nice and Montpellier—have issued blanket bans on public gatherings, while Marseille reversed a prior order to permit a trade‑union march.
In Paris, a student‑led march that has received support from labour groups has been rerouted to avoid the city centre. Cultural institutions such as the Louvre, Orsay and Picasso museums will remain closed, and a scheduled Paris Saint‑Germain match has been moved to Monday. Local businesses have boarded up windows in anticipation of potential looting.
The protests are expected to involve a broad coalition of students, trade unions and the revived gilet jaunes movement, which has called for President Emmanuel Macron’s resignation. The group has listed more than 500 planned demonstrations for Saturday, accusing police of attacking protesters and demanding that Macron “stop the violence.”
As France grapples with the fallout from last week’s unrest, the government faces mounting public discontent over rising living costs and a looming election that could see a shift toward either the hard‑right National Rally or the radical‑left La France Insoumise. The authorities’ extensive security measures aim to prevent further unrest, but the outcome of Saturday’s demonstrations remains uncertain.
