France Deploys Counter-Terrorism Troops Ahead of New Protests

The French government announced on Tuesday that it will deploy soldiers from its counter-terrorism military forces to support police and gendarmes ahead of demonstrations planned for 24 October. The move follows nationwide protests on 17 October that were accompanied by violence and looting in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities, according to CGTN.

What the new measures involve

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament, that the soldiers will mainly handle static security tasks. This will free police and gendarmes to focus on mobile operations and respond more flexibly to possible violence. He said the forces deployed on 17 October were "not mobile enough".

The government is also considering banning unauthorised demonstrations, as well as officially registered protests where there is a risk that the situation could spiral out of control. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu promised that next Saturday's deployment would be massive. He acknowledged several shortcomings: intelligence failures, an overly static police deployment, and the failure to cancel planned police leave.

Scale and consequences of the protests

The government estimates that around 550,000 people took part in the 17 October protests, while organisers put the figure at 800,000. Official data show at least 3,000 shops were looted across the country. A fire destroyed a historic town hall in central Limoges, and on Tuesday police arrested a man suspected of starting it. Officials said he was on a security services watch list and belonged to an ultra-left group.

Parliament is setting up an inquiry commission to establish the causes of the unrest, while authorities have assigned 200 investigators to identify those involved in the street violence.

Curfews and further protests

After targeted curfews were imposed on Monday in several affected areas, the night was relatively calm, which the government says helped restore control. Local curfews, some of which applied to children and teenagers under 18, were extended until Tuesday evening, police said. Some trade unions and student groups have set 5 November as the date of another nationwide protest.