Nuñez claims calm as 70,000 officers guard second week of French protests

Following a week where more than half a million people joined nationwide demonstrations, French authorities tightened security on Saturday to prevent a repeat of the previous weekend's unrest. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that 135 individuals were detained during the day. He listed the seized items, which included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft weapons. Nuñez added that the country had not experienced any major incidents so far.

The government deployed up to 70,000 officers to major cities, supported by helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. In Lyon, where demonstrations were banned, police used tear gas to disperse about 150 protesters who attempted to block a road near the city center. A 21-year-old student speaking anonymously to Agence France-Presse described the police presence as highly mobile, noting that officers dispersed marches before they fully formed.

In Orleans, thousands marched against a congress by Marine Le Pen's National Rally party, where she is launching her presidential bid. Police counted 11,000 participants, while organizers claimed 26,000 were present. Marchers chanted slogans targeting both Emmanuel Macron and Le Pen. The event was called by about 50 groups, including unions and student organizations, and French media reported it ended peacefully early in the afternoon.

In Paris, authorities described the mood at the Porte d'Italie as calm. This was the city's only authorized march, relocated at the last minute from the Bastille to the southeastern edge of the city. Union representative Murielle Guilbert called the move scandalous, arguing that wages have not risen to expected levels. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that anger among the public was a normal response.

The protests have disrupted daily life and events in the capital. Major museums closed, and many businesses boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened for a single day on Friday, cancelling its weekend program. The first NFL game in France is still scheduled for Sunday, though some related venues were shut on Saturday. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, originally planned for Sunday, has been moved to Monday night. Around 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend.

The unrest began last month with high school students in southeast Paris protesting conditions, then widened as demands focused on rising living costs. The Yellow Vests, who emerged about eight years ago to stage disruptive protests against Macron, announced plans for more demonstrations on October 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, condemning the government's authoritarian drift.

Unrest spread to other European countries. Italy sent additional soldiers to Milan after looting and clashes, with Premier Giorgia Meloni announcing tougher penalties for minors involved in the violence. In Tirana, Albania, riot police used water cannons on student protesters demanding lower tuition. Thousands of retirees marched in Madrid over pensions, and a housing protest was expected in Lisbon.