France Assigns 70,000 Officers to Monitor Second Wave of School and Cost of Living Protests

The French government is deploying its largest security contingent in recent history to manage a new round of nationwide demonstrations. This escalation in state presence comes as citizens take to the streets again, marking the start of a second wave of public unrest that began just seven days after the country experienced some of its most chaotic scenes in years.

In Paris, thousands of demonstrators moved peacefully through the city on Saturday. The primary grievances driving the march are the deteriorating state of the school system and the continued rise in the cost of living. This specific route was chosen by local authorities after they rejected an earlier negotiated path that ran through the center of the city. The current permitted itinerary runs along the Boulevards des Marechaux, stretching from Porte d'Italie to Porte de Vincennes on the southeastern edge of Paris.

The decision to alter the route at the last minute frustrated many participants. Emma, a protester and podcaster, described the change as a deliberate strategy by the government to siphon off the energy of the movement. Monica, a retiree from the public education sector, felt the move was designed to make the protest less visible to the general public. Both women spoke on the condition that they did not provide their last names.

The crowd consisted of a diverse mix of individuals, including students, teachers, ecologists, nurses, and union representatives. While the atmosphere remained largely celebratory, with many chanting slogans and dancing, the message was clear. Some groups called for President Emmanuel Macron to step down. One group chanted about the number of billionaires in society and their preparations for a revolution, while another declared that they were all anti-fascists.

Businesses in central Paris took significant precautions to protect their properties. Many shops closed early, and others covered their windows with protective panels or hired private security firms. The police prefecture requested the closure of at least 24 metro stations to manage the flow of the crowd. Major cultural institutions, including the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay, closed their doors for the day. Art Basel Paris also canceled its weekend programming.

Nationwide, authorities deployed more than 70,000 police officers and gendarmes. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that this number represented a 20 percent increase over the previous weekend. The elite RAID unit was assigned to support other police operations rather than directly managing the crowds. Officials are determined to avoid a recurrence of the events from October 17, when peaceful protests turned into widespread looting, vandalism, and clashes. On that date, official figures indicated that thousands of businesses were damaged and more than 2,000 people were taken into custody.

By early Saturday afternoon, the police reported that the situation remained calm. At least 135 people had been arrested across the country, and various weapons were seized. Protests were banned in the downtown areas of several cities, including Montpellier, Rouen, and Nice. In Marseille, a union march was permitted under strict conditions. In Lyon, police used tear gas to disperse a group of about 150 demonstrators. The Yellow Vest movement has announced it will hold its own protest on October 31.

The current unrest traces its origins to mid-September, when high school students blockaded schools to protest dilapidated buildings, teacher shortages, and the university admission system. On Friday, President Macron met with student representatives for the first time since the protests began. He promised to add more teachers and implement a deep overhaul of Parcoursup, the national platform for university admissions. Student leaders stated they would continue mobilizing until the government presents concrete actions. More than half a million people had taken to the streets during the previous protest on October 17.

This political and social turmoil is occurring roughly six months before a pivotal presidential election. President Macron is barred from running for a third consecutive term and is due to leave office in 2027. Marine Le Pen, who has long campaigned on a platform of restoring law and order, currently leads recent polls by a wide margin. In Orleans, thousands of people shouted anti-fascist slogans while her National Rally party held a congress to launch its campaign. Authorities expected between 20,000 and 30,000 people to join a counter-demonstration in that city.