France Mobilizes 70,000 Officers for Saturday Marches
Police altered the Paris route to the city's edge and closed major museums as students and workers prepare to protest funding and living costs.
By Sofia Molina ·
France enters another weekend of demonstrations with a massive security deployment, one week after unrest resulted in looted shops and burned vehicles across the country.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that up to 70,000 officers will be deployed nationwide for the events on Saturday, October 24. This force will be supported by helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. In central Paris, a small number of gendarmes were already positioned beneath the Arc de Triomphe and on adjacent avenues ahead of the main gatherings.
Paris authorities changed the designated march route on Friday, October 23. The procession is now restricted to the southeastern edge of the capital, specifically the area between Porte d'Italie and Porte de Vincennes. This replaces the previously planned path from Bastille to Nation. Organizers expect a large turnout, following last week's protests which drew more than 500,000 participants.
The demonstration began last month over staff shortages at a high school southeast of Paris but has expanded in scope. Student groups are demanding more teachers, improved school infrastructure, and additional university enrollment spots. Labor unions are joining the march to advocate for higher wages and pension adjustments to offset rising living costs.
Student organizations released a joint ten-point proposal detailing their demands. The plan calls for the creation of 250,000 new higher education places and the abolition of the Parcoursup admissions selection system. It also requests a monthly student grant increase of 200 euros, roughly 313 Canadian dollars, and a freeze on rents in public student housing.
Major cultural institutions in Paris are closed on Saturday due to the anticipated crowds. The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Picasso Museum, and Grand Palais, which is currently hosting a Cézanne exhibit, will remain shut. Art Basel opened its doors to the public on Friday, October 23, for a single day before organizers canceled the rest of the weekend program. Approximately 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend's unrest.
Local authorities banned rallies in several cities, including Lyon, Nice, and Montpellier, while allowing marches in Paris and Marseille. French media reported that police used tear gas in Lyon on Saturday morning. Trade unions criticized these local bans, arguing that they violate the constitutional right to freedom of expression.
Outside Paris, investigations continue into damage from the previous week. Two suspects were placed under formal investigation and held pending trial regarding the fire that nearly destroyed the 19th-century city hall in Limoges. The probe includes a charge of attempted murder of a public official. President Emmanuel Macron, whose popularity has reached its lowest point since his 2017 inauguration, stated that the security measures are necessary to protect city centers, businesses, and public buildings.
Source: CBC News
