France braces for new day of protests a week after nationwide riots
France is holding a second nationwide day of protests on Saturday, a week after the 17 October riots, among the worst in decades. The interior ministry is deploying 70,000 police, though several cities have banned demonstrations.
France is on high alert on Saturday 24 October ahead of a fresh day of nationwide protests, a week after the 17 October riots, some of the worst unrest the country has seen in decades. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in Paris and elsewhere at demonstrations organised by students, trade unions and wider anti-government groups.
The interior ministry says it will deploy 70,000 police officers. Opposition parties have accused the government of failing to foresee the scale of the 17 October unrest. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez promised an uncompromising response to vandals, looters and those committing violence, saying numerous calls for violence had appeared on social media from the "far left and radical extreme left".
Restrictions and uncertainty
President Emmanuel Macron decreed that only demonstrations organised by recognised trade unions may go ahead on Saturday. Lyon, Nice and Montpellier have announced blanket bans on gatherings. In Marseille, an initial ban was quickly reversed to allow a union-organised march. In Paris, a march by the student union has been ordered to avoid the city centre. The Louvre, Orsay and Picasso museums will be closed, a home football match for Paris club PSG has been moved to Monday, and some businesses have boarded up their windows.
A revived gilet jaunes (yellow-vest) movement, which led large demonstrations during Macron's first term, could also turn out in force. A website linked to it lists more than 500 planned demonstrations and about 200 other actions, and demands that Macron resign.
Prosecutions and political backdrop
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said 232 people have been imprisoned over the 17 October riots and more than 1,100 have appeared in court. About 260 cases involve charges of organised gang activity.
In Orléans, about 120 km south of Paris, the far-right National Rally is holding a two-day conference at which its leader Marine Le Pen will speak. Left-wing groups are expected to converge on the city, so thousands of police will be deployed and public transport suspended. Macron will leave office next spring.
