France Braces for Mass Protests as Arrests Reach 135
Tens of thousands joined demonstrations across France as police made 135 arrests, the interior minister said. Authorities imposed curfews, closures and protest…
French authorities faced renewed pressure as tens of thousands took to the streets, with demonstrations following riots and looting that affected businesses last weekend. France braces mass protests as Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 135 people had been arrested, while restrictions remained in place in several cities.
Authorities imposed curfews, closures and protest bans in Paris, Marseille and Lyon, though some demonstrations were permitted. The response has put public order and the right to protest at the center of a tense day across the country.
Police in Paris seized weapons and gas masks earlier in a crackdown. In a social media post, they said “all is calm” in the city. At an authorised rally, demonstrators gathered and marched toward Porte de Vincennes, the event’s designated endpoint, accompanied by CRS riot police officers, according to BBC reporting.
France braces mass protests amid public anger
The marches followed last weekend’s riots and looting, which the BBC said impacted thousands of businesses and led to more than 2,700 arrests. The latest protest arrests are separate figures reported by the interior minister for the current demonstrations.
That distinction matters for residents and businesses facing restrictions: authorities are responding both to demonstrations and to recent looting, while protesters say their demands should not be conflated with criminal acts. BBC footage showed police using tear gas to disperse protesters in Lyon. The broadcaster also reported that some gatherings were allowed despite bans elsewhere.
In Paris, a protester told the BBC: “We're now protesting for our right to protest”. The remark reflects a dispute over whether public-order measures are limiting peaceful demonstrations.
A demonstrator identified by the BBC as Zelie, 26, said people had taken to the streets because they were “really frustrated” and had been “suffering a lot” since French President Emmanuel Macron came to office. She said protesters wanted Macron to understand their needs and take action.
Zelie also described problems at her school, including difficult conditions in both winter and summer. She said students “could feel the wind during winter time” inside the building and that indoor temperatures reached 35C in summer. She told the BBC she had been unemployed for six months while searching for a marketing job.
Students are not the only group voicing discontent. Two 18-year-olds at the Paris rally told BBC Europe correspondent Nick Beake that their generation felt abandoned by the Macron government. One said he covered his face because of the cold and the possibility of tear gas, and called last weekend’s looting unacceptable.
He also linked the looting to poverty and police violence, while saying he hoped protests would end only when authorities responded to demonstrators’ demands. His account was a protester’s view, reported by the BBC.
Far-left French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon spoke at the front of the permitted Paris demonstration. He described the crowd as showing “collective discipline and self-control” and said he expected protests to happen every week unless Macron gave in.
The demonstrations have also prompted debate about how officials distinguish peaceful crowds from those involved in looting. A BBC video headline reported that the prime minister urged people not to “lump” looters and protesters together, while authorities continued to maintain restrictions and deploy police.
For people in the affected cities, curfews, closures and bans shape where demonstrations can take place and how daily activity proceeds. The measures vary by city, and the BBC reported that some protests were authorised even as other gatherings faced restrictions.
At the latest count cited by Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, police had arrested 135 people.
Source: bbc.com
