Paris Confines Second Protest to Periphery as Police Surge 20%

Local authorities in Paris stripped a negotiated protest route of its central path, confining thousands of demonstrators to a single boulevard on the city's southeastern edge on Saturday. The decision forced marchers away from the planned itinerary between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation, redirecting them along the Boulevards des Marechaux from Porte d'Italie to Porte de Vincennes. This restriction marks a sharp escalation in police management of the second wave of mass demonstrations that began a week after violent riots rocked the country.

The change in logistics angered participants who felt the government was trying to hide the movement's scale. Emma, a podcaster and protester, described the tactic as a move to drain energy from the demonstrations. Monica, a retired public education employee, said the routing made the authorities appear intent on making the movement invisible. Neither provided a last name. Marchers, including students, teachers, and nurses, continued to chant slogans demanding President Emmanuel Macron's resignation and calling for a revolution against billionaire influence.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that more than 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed nationwide for the day. He stated that this represented a 20 percent increase in personnel compared to the previous weekend. The elite RAID unit supported other police operations rather than directly managing crowds. Authorities aimed to prevent a repeat of the events on October 17, where largely peaceful protests devolved into widespread looting and clashes, resulting in over 2,000 people being taken into custody.

Commercial activity in central Paris slowed as businesses shuttered and covered windows with protective panels. At least 24 metro stations closed at the request of the police prefecture, and major cultural institutions, including the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay, remained closed. Art Basel Paris also cancelled its weekend program. By early Saturday afternoon, police reported arresting at least 135 people nationwide and seizing various weapons, while acknowledging the overall situation remained calm.

Protests faced different levels of restriction in other cities. Downtown areas in Montpellier, Rouen, and Nice saw demonstrations banned, while a union march in Marseille proceeded under strict conditions. In Lyon, police used tear gas to disperse approximately 150 demonstrators. The Yellow Vest movement has announced a separate protest for October 31. The current unrest follows a meeting on Friday between Macron and student representatives, where the president promised more teachers and a major overhaul of the Parcoursup university admission system. Students indicated they would continue mobilizing until the government provides concrete actions.

The political timing places the protests six months before the presidential election, in which Macron is barred from seeking a third term. Marine Le Pen, who campaigns on restoring law and order, currently leads recent polls by a wide margin. In Orleans, thousands of people chanted anti-fascist slogans during a National Rally party congress, with authorities expecting between 20,000 and 30,000 people to join a counter-demonstration.