3 minWorld
France deploys 70,000 police as protests resume on Halloween
French authorities are sending 70,000 officers across the country ahead of a third weekend of anti-government protests that have included looting and property damage.
The French government is deploying 70,000 police officers to cities across the country as authorities brace for a third week of intense anti-government protests set to resume on Saturday. Officials say demonstrators, who are objecting to rising costs and to the policies of President Emmanuel Macron's government, have engaged in looting and property damage, prompting the scale of the law enforcement surge.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said at a news conference earlier in the week that all available forces were being mobilized. "Everyone is on deck to ensure an extremely firm response to any trouble," he said. The Interior Ministry has tracked and acknowledged at least 150 planned gatherings across the country. The protests fall on Halloween, and authorities expect some demonstrators to wear masks to hide their identities, adding a further challenge to the response.
One planned march between the Place de la Republique and the Place de la Bastille, two of Paris's best-known squares, has been banned by France's top administrative court. The demonstration has instead been rerouted to boulevards on the eastern fringe of the city, away from the main shopping districts. Retail damage has been significant: France's Chamber of Commerce has estimated losses from looting and property damage at more than $1 billion, while other estimates that include lost revenue suggest the figure could be double that.
Some of the country's most prominent luxury stores, including Hermes and Louis Vuitton, have been targeted by rioters, and scores of buildings along the marquee shopping avenues now display protective wooden boards. In response, the government is drafting legislation that would punish rioters who cause property damage and make them liable to pay up to €10,000, or about $11,000.
The movement began with young people protesting school conditions and calling for educational reform. It quickly grew to include other social groups and broader grievances, including economic anxiety and rising costs for fuel and borrowing. The government has pledged to reform education and reduce fuel costs, but those promises have not satisfied protesters. Aaron Berthier de Grandry, a 15-year-old high school student who plans to protest over the weekend, told Reuters, "When I was little, I was told young people were the future. Well, if we, as the future of France, lack resources, that means France will end up collapsing."
The U.S. Embassy in France has advised travelers to avoid areas where large gatherings are taking place. The weekend's demonstrations will be the first test of whether the expanded police presence can contain the unrest while the government works to address the demands driving it.
8
