France Deploys 70,000 Police As Halloween Protests Raise Fears Of Fresh Riots

France deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes across the country on Saturday as authorities braced for another day of demonstrations over rising living costs, education and deteriorating public services. The nationwide protests, coinciding with Halloween, come during the third consecutive weekend of unrest following riots and looting that damaged shops and public buildings across several French cities.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the security threat as carrying a "very high risk", particularly after dark, and promised a firm response to violence. Around 150 gatherings were planned nationwide, according to the Interior Ministry.

The security deployment includes specialised police units, drones, helicopters, 26 armoured gendarmerie vehicles and 15 water-cannon vehicles. Authorities have also intensified checks at railway stations, roads and city centres to seize objects that could be used in violent incidents.

France's highest administrative court, the Conseil d'Etat, on Saturday overturned a lower court ruling that had temporarily allowed demonstrators to march between Bastille and Nation in central Paris. It upheld the authorities' alternative route from Porte de Bagnolet to Porte de Charenton, keeping the march away from the city centre.

The government has also restricted access to areas previously affected by violence. Paris authorities imposed an overnight curfew from 11 pm to 6 am around Place de la Republique and Les Halles on Saturday and Sunday. Police have warned that using Halloween masks to conceal identities during demonstrations could attract penalties when public order is threatened.

The scale of previous demonstrations has heightened concerns. Around 550,000 people participated in protests on October 17, when hundreds of shops were looted, while approximately 410,000 joined the following weekend's rallies. More than 1,300 arrests were reported during the October 24 demonstrations, while the Interior Ministry subsequently confirmed 1,435 arrests and 1,193 police and gendarmes injured since October 17.

The movement initially began with students protesting poor school infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms and university admissions before expanding to include trade unions and the Yellow Vest movement, which is demanding relief from rising living costs and fuel prices.

The unrest is also spreading across Europe. In Germany, demonstrations were planned in around 30 cities, with organisers reporting more than 140,000 online sign-ups. Authorities in Spain and Italy have also heightened security following recent clashes.

The protests are putting additional pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's minority government as it negotiates the 2027 budget amid public debt approaching 120 per cent of economic output.