France tightens security and bans some rallies ahead of new protests
France is preparing to deploy more than 70,000 police and gendarmes for a new round of demonstrations over school conditions and living costs. Officials have blocked or restricted marches in several cities, drawing criticism from rights groups. The measures follow last weekend's unrest, which included looting, vandalism and more than 2,000 arrests.
Officials are adding about one-fifth more officers than last weekend and will involve RAID, an elite unit normally used for counterterrorism and high-risk operations, in support roles rather than direct crowd control. Local bans affect central areas of Montpellier, Rouen, Nice and Lyon, while Marseille allows a union march under tight conditions.
In Paris, the union-led route was shifted from Bastille–Nation to the city’s edge along Boulevards des Marechaux, with 24 metro stations shut and major museums and Art Basel Paris’s weekend events cancelled. The unrest follows mid-September school blockades over building decay and teacher shortages; last weekend brought looting, clashes and over 2,000 detentions.
The heavy security and local bans may heighten tensions between demonstrators and authorities, while residents and businesses in affected city centres could face disruption from closed transport, shuttered shops and cancelled cultural events. Students and families concerned about school conditions and living costs may feel their concerns are being overshadowed by security measures. If confrontations recur, public trust in protest rights and policing could weaken, though calmer demonstrations might reduce immediate risks to safety and property.