135 Arrests Recorded in Second Weekend of French Cost-of-Living Unrest

French authorities arrested 135 people on Saturday during the second weekend of nationwide demonstrations against the rising cost of living.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the arrest count in a statement issued on Saturday. He reported that police seized various items from demonstrators, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft weapons. Nuñez stated that there had been no major incident in the country up to that point.

The current unrest began last month when high school students in the southeast of Paris marched for better conditions. The movement expanded as citizens demanded relief from rising living costs. More than 500,000 people participated in the previous week's protests. In response, the government planned to deploy up to 70,000 officers for this weekend. Those forces were supported by helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons.

In Lyon, where demonstrations were officially banned, approximately 150 protesters near the city center briefly blocked a road. Police used tear gas to disperse the group. A 21-year-old student speaking to Agence France-Presse said the officers were really mobile. The student noted that police came and dispersed marches before they even formed.

In Orleans, thousands marched against a congress held by Marine Le Pen's National Rally party. Le Pen is launching her bid to succeed Emmanuel Macron as president in an election held six months from now. Surveys indicate Le Pen is best placed to win. Marchers chanted for Macron to resign and for Le Pen to be imprisoned. Police counted 11,000 participants, while organizers claimed 26,000 attended. The event ended peacefully in the early afternoon.

Paris authorities described the mood as calm during the city's only authorized march at the Porte d'Italie. Police moved the event from the Bastille to the southeastern edge of the city at the last minute. Murielle Guilbert, a union representative, called the decision scandalous. She said Macron had barred protesters from demonstrating where they wished to. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it was normal for people to be angry.

The unrest has disrupted daily life in the capital. Major museums are closed, and many businesses are boarded up. Art Basel opened for one day on Friday before organizers cancelled the weekend program. The first NFL game in France, featuring the New Orleans Saints, remains scheduled for Sunday. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais has been moved to Monday night. Authorities reported that around 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted last weekend.

The Yellow Vests, a movement that emerged eight years ago, plan further demonstrations on Oct. 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls. In other parts of Europe, Italy sent additional soldiers to Milan after recent looting. Premier Giorgia Meloni announced tougher penalties for minors involved in the clashes. In Tirana, Albania, riot police used water cannons on student protesters. Thousands of retirees marched in Madrid over pension issues, and a housing protest was expected in Lisbon.