France will deploy military troops and impose a temporary ban on carrying petrol, gas canisters and fireworks in the Paris region as it braces for new protests this weekend, officials said on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu vowed a “massive” police deployment for demonstrations planned on Saturday, acknowledging failures in the government’s response to last weekend’s violence. “The deployment next Saturday will be massive,” Lecornu told lawmakers, adding that partial curfews had helped restore calm overnight .
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said some military forces from Operation Sentinelle would be deployed to free up police and gendarmes for the expected demonstrations. “We will deploy the Sentinelle force... mostly to free police and gendarmes in their mission to maintain order,” Nuñez told the National Assembly .
The restrictions on petrol and other items took effect Tuesday and will remain through Thursday, according to AFP. Authorities have also extended curfews in parts of Paris, Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain, with Lecornu stating the measures were intended to protect residents and businesses .
The government’s admission of shortcomings came after police were overwhelmed by unprecedented violence during Saturday’s protests, which saw widespread looting and vandalism. Nuñez said authorities had underestimated the scale of participation, with 60,000 security forces deployed against more than 500,000 demonstrators .
Lecornu accused ultra-left radical groups of forging an “insurrectionary plan” that led to the violent rioting, while Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said 2,331 people had been arrested. The protests, initially sparked by high school students over poor school conditions, have since expanded into broader demonstrations over rising living costs .
The French Chamber of Commerce estimates around 2,000 businesses were affected nationwide, with between 300 and 400 shops vandalized in Paris alone .
