70,000 officers guard France as arrests hit 135 in second protest weekend

French interior authorities deployed 70,000 police officers across the country on Saturday to manage a second consecutive weekend of demonstrations against high living costs. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that 135 individuals were detained during the day. He stated that no major incidents occurred in the country. Officials seized various items from protesters, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns.

Security measures included helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. In Lyon, where marches were prohibited, approximately 150 demonstrators attempted to block a road near the city center. Police used tear gas to clear the area. A 21-year-old student who spoke anonymously to Agence France-Presse described the police response as highly mobile. The student noted that officers dispersed marches before they fully formed.

In Orléans, thousands of people marched against a National Rally party congress. Marine Le Pen used the event to launch her campaign to succeed President Emmanuel Macron. Surveys indicate Le Pen is currently best positioned to win the election, which is scheduled for six months from now. Demonstrators chanted slogans targeting both political leaders. Police counted 11,000 participants, while organizers claimed the attendance reached 26,000. French media reported the protest ended peacefully in the early afternoon. The congress is set to continue through Sunday.

Paris authorities described the atmosphere as calm during the city's only authorized march. Police moved the starting point from the Bastille to the more remote Porte d'Italie in the southeastern part of the city at the last minute. Union organizer Murielle Guilbert called the decision scandalous. She argued that President Macron barred protesters from demonstrating in their preferred locations. Murielle Guilbert also stated that wages have not risen to their expected levels. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it is normal for people to be angry about the situation.

The protests have affected daily life in the capital and other major cities. Major museums in Paris remain closed, and many businesses have boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened on Friday for a single day, canceling its weekend program. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais was moved from Sunday to Monday night. Approximately 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend of unrest.

The movement began last month with high school student demonstrations in southeastern Paris. It expanded as workers demanded relief from rising costs. The Yellow Vests movement announced plans for further demonstrations on October 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls. The group criticized the government's authoritarian drift.

Protest activity also spread to other European countries. Italy sent additional soldiers to Milan following looting and clashes. Premier Giorgia Meloni announced stricter penalties for minors involved in the violence. In Tirana, Albania, riot police used water cannons on student protesters demanding lower tuition fees. Thousands of retirees marched in Madrid to support pension rights. A housing protest was scheduled in Lisbon.