French Police Crack Down on Second Weekend of Cost-of-Living Uprising
Security forces deployed 70,000 officers to contain nationwide demonstrations that have disrupted major cities and shifted political momentum ahead of presidential elections.
By Olivia Miller ·
Tension escalated across France on Saturday as police deployed tear gas and made mass arrests to prevent a repeat of the chaotic unrest seen the previous weekend. Authorities tightened security measures in major cities to manage a large expected turnout for nationwide protests against the high cost of living. The scale of the demonstrations has grown significantly, with more than half a million people participating just one week prior.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that 135 people were detained during the latest round of protests. Officials seized a wide variety of items from demonstrators, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns. Nuñez stated that no major incidents had occurred yet, despite the deployment of up to 70,000 officers supported by helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons.
In Lyon, where marches had been officially banned, approximately 150 protesters attempted to block a road near the city center. Police quickly dispersed the group with tear gas. A 21-year-old student speaking to Agence France-Presse noted that officers were highly mobile, stating, "They come and disperse marches before they even form." This proactive approach highlighted the heightened state of alert in cities with strict curbs on public assembly.
In Orléans, thousands marched to oppose a congress by Marine Le Pen's National Rally party, where she is launching her bid to succeed Emmanuel Macron as president. With elections six months away, surveys indicate Le Pen is best positioned to win. Demonstrators chanted slogans targeting both leaders, with police counting 11,000 participants while organizers claimed 26,000. The protest, organized by roughly 50 groups including unions and student bodies, ended peacefully in the early afternoon.
Paris presented a calmer picture, though the single authorized march was moved at the last minute from the Bastille to the more remote Porte d'Italie. Union representative Murielle Guilbert called the change "scandalous," arguing that wages have not risen to the level they should. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it was "normal for people to be angry." The shift reflects the government's effort to contain crowds while allowing expression.
The unrest has significantly disrupted daily life and cultural events in the capital. Major museums remain closed, many businesses are boarded up, and the Art Basel event was reduced to a single day. The first NFL game in France, featuring the New Orleans Saints, remains scheduled for Sunday, although some venues were closed on Saturday. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais was moved to Monday night. Last weekend, around 3,000 shops across the country were damaged or looted.
The movement began last month with high school students demanding better conditions before expanding into a broader cost-of-living crisis. The Yellow Vests, who emerged about eight years ago, plan further demonstrations on Oct. 31, including rallies and a sit-in outside parliament. They condemn the government's "authoritarian drift." Similar unrest has spread across Europe, with Italy sending soldiers to Milan, Albania using water cannons on student protesters, and large marches occurring in Madrid and Lisbon.
