Nationwide protests in France are being held on Saturday with the presence of 70,000 police and gendarmerie forces as the yellow vests (Gilets jaunes), labor unions, students, and pupils take to the streets. These demonstrations are taking place in a tense atmosphere and after the prohibition of many marching groups and under strict security measures. This round of protests begins one week after widespread violence and looting.
Security Measures and Reactions
Laurent Nuñez, the French Minister of the Interior, has announced the deployment of "extensive" security forces for Saturday. He emphasized that security forces will be "ruthless and decisive" against riotous elements. Last week, following protests against rising prices, significant damage and destruction occurred in Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, with nearly three thousand businesses and shops looted or destroyed.
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According to a plan published by the yellow vests, more than 700 gatherings are scheduled across France, including 500 demonstrations. These gatherings will include actions in 86 squares, 21 gas stations, 2 fuel depots, 33 train stations, 3 ports, 17 bridges, and 17 toll booths. Officials have announced that last week, 550,000 people participated in marches across the country.
Protesters' Demands and Restrictions
The demands of the protesters in these gatherings are diverse, but mainly revolve around purchasing power, defending public services, and tax and social justice. However, restrictions in major cities have increased, including the imposition of a nighttime curfew and a ban on demonstrations. In Paris, only one labor group has succeeded in obtaining a permit, and a serious dispute has arisen regarding the rerouting of the demonstrations between the police and the coalition of unions.
Karl Ghazi, one of the secretaries of the CGT union, has protested the sudden change in the route of the demonstrations and emphasized that ensuring security for this new route is impossible. These changes have caused concern and criticism from many protesters who consider the "imposed" route unacceptable.
While several museums in Paris, including the Louvre and Orsay, will be closed on Saturday, a curfew will also be imposed in some areas of the city. Additionally, in Marseille, despite the ban on all gatherings, the governor's office has granted permission for union demonstrations. In this context, criticism from human rights organizations has sharply increased, and concerns about security methods and the restriction of freedoms have grown.
Meanwhile, another sensitive point this weekend is the city of Orléans, where the congress of the far-right party "National Rally" led by Marine Le Pen will be held. This congress is taking place on the eve of the presidential elections, and it is expected that between 20,000 to 30,000 opponents of this far-right party will also gather in protests against "racism, fascism, and imperialism" in this city.
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