France Deploys 70,000 Officers as Second Wave of Mass Protests Begins

Thousands of people marched peacefully through Paris on Saturday as a second wave of mass demonstrations got under way across France. The protests target worsening conditions in schools and the rising cost of living, and they come a week after the country's worst riots in years.

The Paris march began at Porte d'Italie and was due to finish at Porte de Vincennes, along the Boulevards des Marechaux on the southeastern edge of the city. Local authorities said this was the only route permitted, after an originally negotiated central itinerary between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation was banned. Protests organised by groups other than unions have also been prohibited.

The last-minute change angered participants. Emma, a protester and podcaster, called it a government tactic to drain the movement of energy and discourage it. Monica, who is retired from the public education sector, said the move gave the impression that authorities wanted to make the movement invisible. Neither gave a last name.

Marchers included students, teachers, ecologists, nurses and union representatives, who danced and chanted witty slogans while some called for President Emmanuel Macron to resign. One group shouted "Too many billionaires; We are preparing the revolution," while another chanted "We are all anti-fascists."

In central Paris, many businesses were shuttered and shop windows were covered with protective panels, and some retailers hired private security. At least 24 metro stations were closed at the request of the police prefecture. The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay closed for the day, and Art Basel Paris cancelled its weekend programme.

Authorities said more than 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed nationwide, determined to avoid a repeat of October 17. That day, largely peaceful protests were marred by widespread looting, vandalism and clashes, with thousands of businesses damaged or ransacked and more than 2,000 people taken into custody, according to official figures. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 20 percent more officers were on duty than the previous weekend, with the elite RAID unit supporting other police operations rather than directly handling crowds.

By early Saturday afternoon, police said they had arrested at least 135 people nationwide and seized a variety of weapons, while acknowledging the situation was calm. Protests were banned in the downtown areas of several cities, including Montpellier, Rouen and Nice. A union march in Marseille was authorised under strict conditions, and in Lyon police fired tear gas to disperse about 150 demonstrators. The Yellow Vest movement announced its own protest for October 31.

The unrest began in mid-September, when high school students blockaded their schools over dilapidated buildings, teacher shortages and what they see as an unfair university admission system. On Friday, Macron met student representatives for the first time since the protests started and promised more teachers and a deep overhaul of Parcoursup. The students said they would keep mobilising until the government presents concrete actions. More than half a million people took to the streets on October 17.

The turmoil comes about six months before a pivotal presidential election, with Macron barred from a third consecutive term and due to leave office in 2027. Marine Le Pen, who has long campaigned on restoring law and order, leads recent polls by a wide margin. In Orleans, thousands shouted anti-fascist slogans as her National Rally held a party congress marking the start of its campaign, and authorities expected 20,000 to 30,000 people to join a counter-demonstration.