70,000 Officers Guard France as Protests Return Under Tight Rules

Seventy thousand police officers and gendarmes were deployed across France on Saturday to manage a second wave of mass demonstrations. This deployment represented a 20 percent increase in personnel compared to the previous weekend, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. The authorities aimed to prevent a repeat of the disorder seen on October 17, when largely peaceful protests turned into widespread looting and clashes.

The current demonstrations target deteriorating school infrastructure, teacher shortages, and rising living costs. The unrest began in mid-September when high school students blockaded schools to protest dilapidated buildings and an unfair university admission system. On Friday, President Emmanuel Macron met with student representatives for the first time since the movement started. He promised more teachers and a deep overhaul of the Parcoursup admission platform. Students indicated they would continue mobilizing until the government presents concrete actions.

In Paris, the main march followed a restricted route along the Boulevards des Marechaux. The procession started at Porte d'Italie and ended at Porte de Vincennes on the city's southeastern edge. Local authorities had banned a previously negotiated central itinerary between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation. Protests organized by non-union groups were also prohibited. These last-minute changes angered participants, who felt the government was trying to make the movement invisible.

Emma, a protester and podcaster, described the route restriction as a tactic to drain the movement's energy. Monica, a retired public education worker, said the move gave the impression that authorities wanted to suppress the protests. Neither provided a surname. Marchers included students, teachers, ecologists, nurses, and union representatives. Some chanted for Macron to resign, while other groups shouted slogans such as "Too many billionaires; We are preparing the revolution" and "We are all anti-fascists."

Preparations for the march involved significant closures in central Paris. Many businesses shuttered their doors, and shop windows were covered with protective panels. At least 24 metro stations closed at the request of the police prefecture. The Louvre and Musee d'Orsay museums closed for the day, and Art Basel Paris cancelled its weekend program. Some retailers hired private security to guard their premises.

By early Saturday afternoon, police reported at least 135 arrests nationwide and the seizure of various weapons. Authorities acknowledged that the situation remained calm. Protests were banned in the downtown areas of Montpellier, Rouen, and Nice. In Marseille, a union march proceeded under strict conditions. In Lyon, police fired tear gas to disperse approximately 150 demonstrators. The Yellow Vest movement announced its own protest for October 31.

The political stakes are high with a presidential election approaching in six months. Macron is barred from seeking a third term and will leave office in 2027. Marine Le Pen leads recent polls by a wide margin after campaigning on restoring law and order. In Orleans, thousands shouted anti-fascist slogans as her National Rally held a party congress. Authorities expected 20,000 to 30,000 people to join a counter-demonstration in that city.