France Deploys 70,000 Officers to Contain Escalating Protests

France is facing a critical security test this Saturday as a new wave of demonstrations threatens to disrupt the capital and major cities. The central tension lies between a government determined to protect public order and a broad coalition of students and workers demanding structural changes to education and wages. A week after unrest resulted in looted shops and burning vehicles, authorities are preparing for another large turnout, signaling that the social fracture is deepening rather than healing.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that up to 70,000 police officers will be deployed across the country for this weekend's events. This significant mobilization includes the use of helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. In central Paris, a small contingent of gendarmes has already taken positions beneath the Arc de Triomphe and along nearby avenues, establishing a visible presence ahead of the main marches.

The situation escalated over the past two weeks. Last month, the movement began with staff shortages at a single high school southeast of Paris. By last week, the protests had grown to include more than half a million people, leading to significant damage in several cities. Now, on Friday, police altered the planned route for the Saturday march. The demonstration is now confined to the city's southeastern edge, running between Porte d'Italie and Porte de Vincennes, rather than the previously planned path from Bastille to Nation.

The demands driving the crowds have expanded beyond their origins. Students are calling for more teachers, improved school infrastructure, and increased university capacity. Unions are pushing for higher wages and pension protections to help households manage the rising cost of living. Student groups have formalized these goals in a joint 10-point plan, which requests 250,000 additional higher education places and the end of the Parcoursup admissions selection system. They also seek an extra 200 euros per month in student grants and a rent freeze in public housing.

Businesses and cultural institutions are bracing for impact. Major venues including the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Picasso Museum, and the Grand Palais are closed for Saturday. The Grand Palais, currently hosting a major Cézanne exhibit, has lost a full weekend of programming. Art Basel opened to the public for only a single day on Friday before organizers cancelled the weekend schedule. Shopkeepers have been actively barricading their stores throughout the week to protect their stock and storefronts.

Akram Ahmed, a 34-year-old contractor, was seen boarding up an optician's shop near Saint-Lazare station. He noted that the owner called him late Friday night, stating that the work was essential to saving the business. This defensive posture follows a rough previous weekend, during which approximately 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted.

Protests are not happening uniformly across the country. While marches are proceeding in Paris and Marseille, local authorities have banned rallies in Lyon, Nice, and Montpellier. French media reported that police used tear gas in Lyon on Saturday morning. Trade unions have criticized these bans, arguing they violate the constitutional protection of freedom of expression.

Significant damage has occurred outside the capital as well. Two suspects in the fire that nearly destroyed the 19th-century city hall in Limoges have been placed under formal investigation and are being held pending trial. The probe includes a charge of attempted murder of a public official. In response to the chaos, Paris police prefect Patrice Faure initially urged shopkeepers to hire security guards but later clarified that protecting businesses remains a government responsibility.

President Emmanuel Macron faces this crisis during the final stretch of his term, with his popularity at its lowest point since taking office in 2017. He has stated that the security measures are necessary to protect city centers, businesses, and public buildings. In Orléans, thousands gathered for an anti-far-right protest held alongside a congress of Marine Le Pen's party, highlighting the political stakes ahead of next spring's election. Victoria Ambrosini, an art critic at Saint-Denis University, described the economic climate by saying money is now concentrated in the hands of very few people, adding that the current situation is no longer possible.