France will deploy 70,000 security forces on Saturday as authorities brace for a new wave of protests they warn carry a “very high risk of urban violence.”
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said radical groups had issued social media calls for violent gatherings in city centers across the country, coinciding with Halloween. He described the planned response as “extremely firm,” with a focus on the evening hours after mainstream demonstrations end . The directive orders robust deployments in Paris and regional prefectures from early evening until late night .
The protests follow nationwide demonstrations on October 17 that degenerated into some of the worst rioting in years, with large-scale looting and vandalism. Authorities have admitted to security failures that allowed the unrest to escalate . Last weekend’s rallies, which drew 410,000 participants, remained largely peaceful under the same security deployment .
The Yellow Vest movement and student unions have called for Saturday’s demonstrations, with labor leaders and students urging further protests on November 5. Frustration over wages, living costs, and public services has spread beyond the student movement that first mobilized last month . The government announced measures this week to address student demands, including replacing the university admissions platform and providing loans for school renovations .
Nuñez confirmed the ban on undeclared gatherings in city centers and said the security operation would match the scale of the October 24 deployment . Paris has also imposed a curfew for minors in certain areas until Monday .
