135 Detained as France Mobilizes 70,000 Officers for Second Protest Weekend

French authorities detained 135 individuals on Saturday as police deployed up to 70,000 officers across the country for the second consecutive weekend of protests over the cost of living. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that forces confiscated various items from demonstrators, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft weapons.

Nuñez stated that no major incidents had occurred during the day. The security operation included support from helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. This heightened presence aimed to prevent a recurrence of the unrest seen the previous week, when more than 500,000 people participated in nationwide marches.

In Lyon, where demonstrations were officially banned, approximately 150 protesters near the city center briefly blocked a road. Police used tear gas to disperse the group. A 21-year-old student, speaking anonymously to Agence France-Presse, described the police presence as highly mobile. The student noted that officers moved to disperse marches before they could fully form.

In Orleans, thousands of people marched against a congress of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party. Le Pen is using the event to launch her bid to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, with national elections six months away. Surveys indicate Le Pen is currently best positioned to win the presidency. Police counted 11,000 participants in the Orleans march, while organizers claimed the number reached 26,000. About 50 groups, including unions, left-wing parties, and student organizations, called for the protest. Chants of

Macron resign. Le Pen in prison

were heard as the march targeted both political leaders. French media reported the event ended peacefully in the early afternoon, while the party congress is set to continue through Sunday.

In Paris, authorities described the mood as calm at the Porte d’Italie, the site of the city’s only authorized march. Police relocated the event from the Bastille to this southeastern location at the last minute. Murielle Guilbert, a union representative, called the move scandalous, arguing that President Macron had barred protesters from demonstrating where they wished. She added that wages have not risen to their required levels. Lucas, a student, told CBS Saturday Morning that it is normal for people to be angry under these conditions.

The protests have disrupted daily operations in the capital. Major museums are closed, and many businesses have boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened on Friday for a single day, with organizers cancelling the weekend program. The first NFL game in France, featuring the New Orleans Saints, remains scheduled for Sunday, though some related venues closed on Saturday. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, originally planned for Sunday, has been moved to Monday night. Around 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend’s unrest.

The demonstrations began last month when high school students in the southeast of Paris protested for better conditions. The movement expanded as participants demanded relief from rising living costs. The Yellow Vests, who emerged eight years ago to protest against Macron, announced plans for further demonstrations on Oct. 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, citing an authoritarian drift in the government. Unrest also spread to other European cities, including Milan, Tirana, Madrid, and Lisbon, where various groups protested local issues.