France Deploys Vast Security Force to Prevent Riots
France has deployed a vast security force across the country in an effort to prevent further riots and maintain law and order. The move comes after a weekend of mass protests turned violent, with arson, looting, and other forms of violence reported in several cities.
According to reports, around 70,000 police officers and security personnel have been mobilized to patrol streets and skies in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and other cities. The authorities have also deployed elite military troops, armored vehicles, drones, and helicopters to support the effort.
Several cities, including Le Havre, Toulon, and Nice, have banned all demonstrations in their downtown areas on Saturday, while rallies are still planned for Paris, Marseille, and other locations. The government has also imposed targeted curfews in several cities to help restore calm.
The protests, which began as a student-led movement over education issues, have taken a darker turn, with reports of marauding bands of rioters shattering shop windows, looting merchandise, and incinerating vehicles. Over 2,500 people were arrested during the violence, which left nearly 1,000 police officers injured and over 3,000 stores looted.
President Emmanuel Macron has invited representatives of the high school students to his office, but the government has accused far-left groups of hijacking the movement to polarize the country ahead of the presidential election in April. The far-right party, National Rally, has condemned Macron's response as dilatory and promised to restore order.
The economic backdrop to the unrest is also a concern, with fears about France's ballooning government deficit pushing the yield on its 10-year bond to above 5 percent for the first time since 2002. The government was spared a downgrade by ratings agency Moody's, but the outlook remains negative, and the country's debt burden is expected to continue rising.
