France stations 70,000 officers for second student protest wave

Thousands of people marched through Paris on Saturday, the start of a second wave of demonstrations across France. The protests focus on deteriorating school conditions and the rising cost of living. They follow a week of unrest that included the country's worst riots in years.

Local authorities permitted the Paris march only along the Boulevards des Marechaux on the city's southeastern edge. The route began at Porte d'Italie and ended at Porte de Vincennes. Officials banned the previously negotiated central route between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation. They also prohibited protests organized by groups other than unions.

Participants expressed frustration over the last-minute route change. Emma, a protester and podcaster, described the move as a tactic to drain energy from the movement. Monica, a retired public education worker, said the decision made the movement appear invisible. Neither provided a last name.

Marchers included students, teachers, ecologists, nurses, and union representatives. They chanted slogans such as "Too many billionaires; We are preparing the revolution" and "We are all anti-fascists." Some called for President Emmanuel Macron to resign. In central Paris, businesses shut early, covered windows with protective panels, and hired private security. Police closed at least 24 metro stations. The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay closed for the day, and Art Basel Paris cancelled its weekend programme.

Nationwide, authorities deployed more than 70,000 police officers and gendarmes. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that 20 percent more officers were on duty than the previous weekend. The elite RAID unit supported other police operations rather than directly managing crowds. By early Saturday afternoon, police reported at least 135 arrests and the seizure of various weapons. They described the situation as calm.

Protests were banned in the downtown areas of Montpellier, Rouen, and Nice. A union march in Marseille proceeded under strict conditions. 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 schools over dilapidated buildings, teacher shortages, and university admission systems. On Friday, Macron met with student representatives for the first time since the protests started. He promised more teachers and a deep overhaul of Parcoursup. Students said they would continue mobilizing until the government presents concrete actions. More than half a million people took to the streets on October 17. The turmoil occurs about six months before the presidential election, where Macron is barred from a third term. Marine Le Pen leads recent polls, and her National Rally held a party congress in Orleans while thousands shouted anti-fascist slogans in a counter-demonstration.