France deploys army to contain new wave of protests
France is deploying army, special forces and armored vehicles to deter Saturday's protests. Authorities step up security measures across the country to prevent riots and stabilize financial markets
French authorities are taking emergency measures ahead of Saturday's planned protests. According to the Interior Ministry, the number of police officers on the streets will be increased by 20% compared to last week, the military will also be involved, writes Bloomberg.
In addition, helicopters, water cannons and armored vehicles of the Centaure type will be involved. “If necessary” special forces are also ready to come to the aid of police, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.
“This applies not only to Paris, but also to many cities throughout France. Large-scale operations will be carried out everywhere, said Thierry Clair, national secretary of the police union. At least 75 percent of police officers will be mobilized, many of them will go to work on the weekend.
The decision to involve the army was dictated by the fact that previous protests escalated into pogroms and riots: about 3 thousand shops were looted, and the number of arrested reached 2.7 thousand people.
In addition, amid the protests, financial markets are showing signs of nervousness, Bloomberg notes. Any new unrest could heighten concerns about France's financial situation at a time of heightened political uncertainty.
On the day of nationwide protests on October 17, about 800,000 people took to the streets in France. On October 20, the authorities announced the strengthening of police in the upcoming protests. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu admitted that during previous actions, the actions of law enforcement officers were “too static and not mobile enough”.
The action was a continuation of the protests of high school students, which began on September 21 with the blocking of the Lyceum of Saint-Exupery in the suburbs of Paris. Students spoke out against a shortage of teachers and a lack of social workers and school psychologists. The police's actions have come under fire after a series of injuries among demonstrators, including a teenager who lost an arm after picking up a stun grenade, and the protests have gripped more than just schoolchildren.
French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that "illegal" protests were banned in the coming days. Organized groups such as trade unions will be offered alternative routes for demonstrations.
