French authorities mobilize ahead of planned protests
French authorities have sent 70,000 police officers across the country, including a major deployment in Paris, as officials brace for renewed unrest during planned weekend demonstrations. Jonathan Hunt reports on shuttered businesses and a heavy riot-police presence in the capital, while Rice University senior lecturer Craig Considine discusses the spread of far-left mobilization across Europe after the violence reported on October 17.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said French police had arrested 135 people by Saturday as nationwide protests resumed.
Reuters reported that many of the arrests followed preventive searches of demonstrators. Police said some people in custody were carrying objects that could potentially be used as weapons, including fireworks and ball bearings.
Nuñez did not identify the locations of the arrests. In Paris, where tens of thousands of people have taken part in marches, officers carried out more than 3,000 checks and detained 65 individuals, according to the BBC.
“Violent individuals have no place in the marches,” the Paris Police Department said in a social media statement. Authorities said the screenings were intended to keep potential troublemakers out of the procession and protect peaceful protesters.
Thousands of protesters march through Paris, France, on Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Parts of central Paris took on the appearance of a city under lockdown. Store owners covered their windows, museums shut their doors and more than 20 metro stations halted service.
Police also used tear gas to disperse unruly crowds in several cities, including Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lille and Nice, Reuters reported.
In Nice, officers brought in a water cannon after a group of demonstrators refused to retreat. Clashes between police and hooded youths were also reported in Marseille and Lyon.
CHECK THIS OUT: Woman, 23, with aggressive cancer reveals warning signs she ignored – NewsFinale
A protester carrying a French flag and a sign walks through tear gas during a demonstration in Lyon, France, on Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
The nationwide security operation is aimed at containing agitators and preventing a repeat of the violence seen during recent demonstrations, when vehicles were set ablaze and Limoges city hall was burned.
More than 2,700 people were arrested last weekend after protests escalated into riots and widespread looting.
The marches reflect broad frustration with the French government, bringing together protesters with a range of political and economic complaints.
Police officers detain protesters during a demonstration in Strasbourg, France, on Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
The demonstrations began several weeks ago, initially led by high school and university students angered by teacher shortages and deteriorating conditions, including overcrowded classrooms and run-down school buildings.
The movement expanded after major labor unions joined the protests. Their participation added opposition to government austerity measures, along with concerns about wages, pensions and the rising cost of living.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Who is Kelsey Mitchell Dating? Is She Married in 2026? Relationship With Caitlin Clark