France deployed 70,000 police officers on Saturday to contain expected unrest during the latest wave of nationwide protests. The demonstrations, driven by anger over the cost of living and poor conditions in schools and universities, have brought together students, trade unions and the revived Yellow Vest movement.
The protests, taking place across the country on Halloween, come two weeks after riots and looting caught security forces off guard, leaving shops, public buildings and businesses heavily damaged in cities across France. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has vowed to prevent a repeat of those events.
"Everyone is on deck to ensure an extremely firm response to any trouble," Nunez told a news conference earlier this week, outlining security preparations for a day he described as carrying "a very high risk" of unrest.
Authorities are also alert to the possibility that rioters could use Halloween masks to conceal their identities. Nunez noted that existing laws already allow police to ban face coverings when public order is at risk.
The U.S. Embassy in France advised travelers to avoid areas where demonstrations or large gatherings are planned. The protests gained momentum in late September as President Emmanuel Macron's minority government began negotiations over the 2027 budget.
Strasbourg, last week
(Photo: Roméo Boetzle/AFP)
Lyon, last week
(Photo: Olivier Chassignole/AFP)
The French government's promises to reform the education system and ease fuel costs have failed to calm public anger. "When I was little, I was told young people were the future," said Aaron Berthier de Grandry, a 15-year-old high school student from the Paris suburb of Nogent-sur-Marne who plans to join his third consecutive weekend of protests. "Well, if we, as the future of France, lack resources, that means France will end up collapsing."
According to estimates from the Chamber of Commerce, damage to retailers has exceeded 1 billion euros. Other estimates put the total at twice that amount when uninsured damage and lost revenue are taken into account.
Meanwhile, the French government is advancing a controversial law that would make rioters liable for up to 10,000 euros in damages caused either by themselves or by groups they are deemed to belong to. Human rights organizations and some lawyers have warned that the legislation could undermine the right to peaceful protest.
The unrest in France has also inspired youth-led protests elsewhere in Europe, with demonstrations planned Saturday in more than 30 German cities.