70,000 Police Deploy Across France as Yellow Vests and Unions Plan Protests in Most Dangerous Countries

France is deploying 70,000 police officers and closing major Paris museums ahead of nationwide protests organized by Yellow Vests, unions and students, one week after violent unrest that included looting and arson in what observers link to most dangerous countries dynamics. [2] Major museums in Paris including the Louvre, Orsay and Picasso are closed for the day, a PSG football match has been rescheduled, and businesses have boarded up windows in anticipation of unrest. [1] [3]

Massive Security Deployment for Saturday Protests

Authorities have mobilized 70,000 police officers across France to manage the expected demonstrations and prevent a recurrence of last week's violence. [2] Major museums in Paris including the Louvre, Orsay and Picasso are closed for the day. [3] A PSG football match has been rescheduled to Monday. [3] Businesses have boarded up windows in anticipation of unrest. [1] [3] The interior ministry has said it will deploy 70,000 police officers, ramping up the security presence in French cities. [3] Scenes of looting, burned-out cars and attacks on public buildings marked the previous weekend. [1]

Protest Organizers and Demands

A coalition of the Yellow Vests movement, labor unions and students will march across France on Saturday with demands centered around studying conditions and purchasing power. [2] Some groups are calling for President Macron to resign. [3] A website associated with the Yellow Vests listed more than 500 planned demonstrations and some 200 other actions on Saturday. [3] Hundreds of large and small demonstrations are planned across France. [3] In Paris, a march organised by the student trade union and supported by labour groups has been ordered to stick to a route which does not go through the city centre. [3]

Aftermath of Last Week's Unrest

Last Saturday's protests drew at least 550,000 participants before devolving into riots that led to 232 imprisonments, over 1,100 court appearances and charges including organized gang activity. [2] [3] Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said 232 people had been imprisoned for their role in the 17 October riots, and more than 1,100 had appeared in court. [3] Around 260 of those cases involves charges of organised gang activity. [3] Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated authorities will be uncompromising with vandals and looters, citing social media calls for violence from far-left groups. [3] Darmanin has ordered prosecutors to seek punitive measures against people convicted of looting or attacking police officers, including banning them from taking part in demonstrations, removing their right to vote and barring them from accessing social media. [3]

Political Context and Opposition Criticism in Most Dangerous Countries

President Emmanuel Macron met high-school students' representatives on Friday ahead of Saturday's protests. [3] Leading figures from both left and right parties have levelled the blame for the disorder at Macron and his ministers. [3] Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader and presidential candidate of La France Insoumise, has criticised what he has framed as heavy-handed policing of demonstrations and has accused Macron of destroying the republican state by imposing restrictions. [3] The protests occur against a backdrop of high public disillusionment over cost-of-living pressures, spiraling debt and a polarized political landscape ahead of Macron's departure next spring. [3] Macron will leave office next spring and polls suggest a candidate from his centrist movement could fail to make it through to a run-off vote in May between the top two contenders. [3]

Specific Flashpoints Including Orleans

Sweeping restrictions have been imposed on demonstrations across France. [3] A two-day National Rally conference in Orléans, around 120 km to the south of Paris, could prove to be a flashpoint on Saturday. [3] Left-wing groups are expected to descend on the small city, where thousands of members of the hard-right party are set to gather to hear its leader Marine Le Pen speak. [3] The city's mayor warned the numbers expected in Orléans were unprecedented and said thousands of police would be deployed to manage any clashes, adding that public transport would be suspended. [3] In Marseille, a previous order barring all protests was swiftly reversed to allow a trade union-organised march to go ahead. [3]

What to watch next: Organisers have pressed ahead with hundreds of demonstrations despite official announcements, with a National Rally event in Orléans drawing expected counter-protests and local transport suspensions already announced. [3]