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France Deploys 70,000 Police Ahead Of Halloween Cost-Of-Living Protests, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez Warns
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About 70,000 police and gendarmes deployed nationwide to confront expected protests. Protests center on living costs and public services, coinciding with Halloween.
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70,000 Police, Halloween Risk
France prepared for a new wave of nationwide cost-of-living protests on Saturday by deploying 70,000 police officers to contain disturbances across the country, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warning of a "very high" likelihood of unrest. Authorities said the demonstrations would coincide with Halloween celebrations, and Nuñez warned that rioters could use Halloween masks to conceal their identities. The Interior Ministry source warned of a "very high risk of public disorder" on Saturday as trade unions, students and yellow vest protesters marched for a third consecutive weekend.
The interior ministry deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide as Paris police set a main union-backed march route from porte de Bagnolet to porte de Charenton. The Conseil d'État upheld the authorities' decision to move the route away from the city centre, after organisers had originally wanted to march between Bastille and Nation.
Bans, Curfews, and Routes
France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez declared that protests in city centres had been banned and that only those "on the outskirts of cities" would be permitted, while he said organisers had been asked to "provide guarantees" for demonstrations in "good conditions."
Paris police imposed a curfew on Saturday and Sunday night in districts that experienced significant unrest on 17 October.
Paris police had already carried out 1,200 checks as authorities prepared for possible disorder later in the evening.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon said he would join protesters at Porte de Bagnolet, writing on X that he wanted to uphold the right to demonstrate peacefully as Macron's government was drifting towards authoritarianism.
UNEF accused the government of creating disorder rather than addressing students' demands, and the student union said, "Shame on this government. Shame on this power that is relentless," while adding, "We will be out on the streets today and we will win on our demands, wherever we are."
Arrests, Injuries, and Next Steps
PUKmedia said French police arrested 135 people during security operations for demonstrations against the rising cost of living, and it said the dedicated anti-terrorism prosecutor's office announced the detention of three additional people as part of an investigation into a gun attack near Paris. PUKmedia said one person was killed and at least five others were injured, including a 12-year-old girl, when a gunman fired from a vehicle at three sites in the towns of Tran-Ba and Virey. PUKmedia also said Saturday's protests led to around 2,400 arrests and about a thousand security personnel injured, while it reported that in Lyon police used tear gas to disperse about 150 protesters.
“No repression, no ban on demonstrations will stop the mobilisation.”
Mont Carlo International said French authorities said 320,000 people attended protests nationwide, and it said officers deployed tear gas in Lyon and Toulouse as the mood turned violent. After Saturday, the Connexion said the CGT union called for a national day of industrial action and demonstrations on November 5, and it quoted the union saying, "No repression, no ban on demonstrations will stop the mobilisation."