France will deploy 70,000 police personnel across the country on Saturday as authorities prepare for a fresh round of protests following some of the worst urban violence seen during demonstrations last week.
President Emmanuel Macron convened a meeting of his defence council, bringing together senior ministers and officials, and was scheduled to meet security personnel. His planned visit to Nigeria and Senegal later this month is also being postponed amid the escalating crisis, according to aides.
Macron was due to meet representatives of high school students for the first time. Their protests over school conditions have expanded into a nationwide movement reflecting public anger over the rising cost of living and the government's policies.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the deployment at a press conference in Paris, warning that social media calls for violence and looting were circulating. He was expected to travel to Orleans on Friday to inspect security preparations ahead of the National Rally congress being held there over the weekend.
The event, hosted by far-right leader Marine Le Pen, is expected to draw thousands of supporters. Local authorities are concerned about possible clashes as opponents travel to the city. The protests come six months before elections to replace Macron, at a time when a new opinion poll has placed Le Pen in the lead.
Nathanael Combary, president of Renouveau Lyceen, said students would repeat their demands during their meeting with Macron. These include improvements to school infrastructure and changes to the Parcoursup university admissions system.
The government has sought to distinguish between the protesters' demands and the looting, arson and destruction that occurred alongside last Saturday's demonstrations. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said courts had already sent 217 people to prison over the violence, including around half who were first-time offenders. Macron has called for the strongest possible action against criminal acts and accused ultra-left groups of trying to bring down the republic.
Restrictions and increased security
A second nationwide round of demonstrations is expected on Saturday. Lyon city centre will be closed to protesters, while demonstrators in Paris will be restricted to a route between Bastille and Nation squares.
Authorities in Marseille initially prohibited protests but later permitted a union-organised demonstration on an exceptional basis. It is the only protest authorised in the southern Bouches-du-Rhone department. The city also withdrew its decision to suspend all public transport on Saturday.
In Paris, several major museums, including the Louvre, will remain closed on Saturday, and the Art Basel art fair will end early. Security-force deployments will be 20 per cent higher than last weekend following criticism of police preparations and intelligence gathering.
Eva Cosse, senior Europe researcher at Human Rights Watch, said police must allow peaceful and safe demonstrations while protecting the public from violent disorder. She also raised concern over reports of children suffering serious injuries from crowd-control weapons.
The unrest has damaged France's image ahead of elections that could mark a major shift in the country's modern political history. Investors are also watching the government's growing debt burden.
A Harris Interactive poll conducted for M6/RTL after the violence put Le Pen at 33-35 per cent in the first round of the presidential election. The survey projected that hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon could face her in the run-off, where Le Pen was forecast to win by a wide margin with around 70 per cent of the vote.
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