France Braces for a Third Week of Protests: 70,000 Police Deployed, Curfew in Parts of Paris

France is bracing for large protests across the country on Saturday for a third consecutive week, in demonstrations against rising living costs and mismanagement of educational institutions. With the Halloween festival taking place at the same time, extensive security measures have been strengthened, including the deployment of 70,000 police nationwide, amid fears of major disorder.

A source at France's interior ministry said there is a high risk of public order being disrupted on Saturday. After the violence and looting of 17 October, security measures have been strengthened again this time, as they were on 24 October.

The interior ministry warned that calls for unauthorised mass gatherings and unauthorised marches towards important state institutions have spread on social media.

On Thursday French interior minister Laurent Nunez said protests have been banned in city centres and permission will be given only on the outskirts of cities. Organisers have been told to guarantee a peaceful environment.

The interior minister also warned that disorder due to the Halloween festival could continue into the night. Noting that hard-left groups are calling for ‘revolution’ and ‘uprising’, he said any gathering in Halloween disguise will be banned.

Criticising the government's move, trade unions and the Yellow Vest movement said in a joint statement that they will examine all legal appeal routes to overturn what they called this blanket and disproportionate ban on public freedoms.

Police have imposed a curfew on Saturday and Sunday nights in the Paris areas that saw clashes on 17 October. In addition, on the orders of a high court, the route of the Paris protest has been changed to the eastern outskirts of the city.

The protests began in mid-September with a student movement in the suburbs of Paris. The movement, which started six months before the next presidential election, has now turned into a broad social movement against rising living costs and fuel price increases.