‘No compromise’: France to deploy 70,000 police officers and armored vehicles for weekend mass protests

[Financial News] As mass protests over high prices and inadequate public services escalated into violence, the French government announced a hard-line response, saying it would deploy 70,000 police officers and heavy equipment, including armored vehicles, nationwide this weekend.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP) and other foreign media on the 23rd (local time), French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said at a press conference that day, “We will deploy 70,000 police officers and gendarmes across the country to respond to the protests on the 24th.” That is 20% more than the number deployed last weekend, when unrest escalated to the level of riots.
Minister Nuñez warned, “We have identified numerous social media posts by radical far-left groups calling for violence and property destruction,” adding, “We will show absolutely no tolerance for any violent acts, including rioting and looting, and will make decisive arrests and hold those responsible legally accountable.” Security authorities plan to deploy about 20 armored vehicles and 15 water cannons, as well as helicopters, drones and an elite counterterrorism unit, to strengthen security at public buildings.
The French measures follow a mass protest attended by around 550,000 people on the 17th that deteriorated into unrest rarely seen in recent times, including looting and arson at shops. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said about 2,700 people were arrested in the protests, of whom 217 were convicted and jailed, while prosecutions of around 1,000 people are underway.
As part of its hard-line response, the government allowed only some demonstrations organized by labor unions and blocked most rallies outright. Demonstrations were completely banned in major cities such as Lyon and Marseille, while access to central Paris was also restricted. Student groups (UNEF), unions and Yellow Vest activists protested, saying, “The government is picking and choosing who can exercise the right to protest and is violating freedom of assembly.” They remain determined to go ahead with the protests, raising fears of physical clashes.
With tensions in central Paris reaching a peak, major cultural institutions, including the Louvre Museum and the Musée d'Orsay, decided to close on the 24th. The world-renowned contemporary art event Art Basel Paris also canceled its entire weekend program and ended early.
Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his tour of African countries, including Nigeria, and is set to hold his first meeting with student representatives who sparked the protests by calling for improvements to poor educational conditions.
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