Protestsupdated 48m ago2 min read
Laurent Nuñez Warns Of Very High Disorder Risk As France Deploys 70,000 Police For October 31 Protests
“authorities had detected social media calls for Halloween gatherings on Saturday evening calling for a ‘revolution’.”
“Rallies banned in city centres as interior minister warns response will be ‘extremely firm’”
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France to deploy about 70,000 police nationwide for Saturday Halloween protests. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warns of a very high risk of public disorder.
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70,000 Police for Oct 31
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned that “The day of October 31 presents a very high risk of public disorder,” as he announced around 70,000 police officers and gendarmes would be deployed across France for protests on Saturday. Nuñez said authorities would allow demonstrations but “not in city centres, where there is a risk of public disorder,” and he pledged an “extremely firm” response after mass protests on October 17 degenerated into rioting and looting.
Al Jazeera reported that Nuñez said security measures, including the use of armoured vehicles and water cannon introduced last week, would be strengthened for the Halloween coinciding protests. The interior ministry said more than 2,700 people were arrested a week earlier, and it described the mobilization as an “exceptional measure.”
Paris Routes and Court
Seven unions of workers and students took legal action with the Paris Police Prefect to have an order authorizing a partial ban on protests published “as soon as possible” for Saturday, October 31 in Paris. The order published on Friday, October 30 forbids the route desired by the CGT, from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation, and it also forbids the route desired by the Yellow Vests, from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Concorde.
Paris Police Prefect Patrice Faure justified the route change by telling the Parisien’s website that “avoids the city center, also avoids vandalism and gives great visibility to the protesters,” and he said “Liberties interim orders are being issued to challenge this decision.” UNEF treasurer Clara Privé accused the prefecture of wanting to “muzzle the voice of the youth,” and she announced plans to “march on Bastille-Nation” despite the ban.
Bans, Dispersal, and Arrests
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said authorities would ban “These gatherings” and, if they took place, they would be dispersed and arrests would be made. Nuñez told reporters that he had instructed security forces to act with “extreme firmness,” while also stressing that demonstrations approved by local authorities would be protected to safeguard freedom of assembly and expression.
France 24 said authorities had detected social media calls for Halloween gatherings on Saturday evening calling for a “revolution,” and it said those appeals were being circulated by radical left groups and some radicalised Yellow Vest activists. CNews said prefectures were banning demonstrations in city centers, and it described the rule that masks will not be accepted to “conceal the face,” while Halloween costumes were “however not forbidden as such.”