France Increases Police Presence to Prevent Further Riots

Reuters

A French police officer extinguish burning bicycles during a demonstration.

France will deploy 70,000 police officers to demonstrations across the country on Saturday in an effort to prevent a recurrence of the violence and looting that shocked the nation last weekend, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Friday.

Reuters reported that pecialist security units and heavily armed mobile squads will be deployed alongside regular police forces as part of a major security operation aimed at restoring public confidence and countering concerns that the government has lost control of the streets.

"We will be uncompromising with rioters, looters and all those who commit acts of violence," Nunez told reporters, adding that "ultra-left" groups had been urging activists online to target public buildings and unleash more lawlessness.

"We are not talking about a nice, friendly demonstration," Nunez said. "We are ready for tomorrow. We will be extremely vigilant, extremely firm, and we will let absolutely nothing pass."

Anger over the rising cost of living and pressure on public services has brought students, workers and trade unions onto the streets in recent weeks. However, authorities say radical militants and groups of young looters have exploited the unrest to cause disorder.

Some far-right politicians have blamed migrants and radical Islam for the turmoil, allegations that French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected.

Tensions escalated further on Friday when a man, suspected by officials of being motivated by Islamophobic hatred, opened fire from a car west of Paris, killing one person and injuring four others, including a 12-year-old girl.

"(It was) objectively a racist attack," said local mayor Ali Rabeh, blaming far-right rhetoric for inflaming tensions.

Authorities in Paris have authorised just one trade union demonstration for Saturday, rejecting requests for rallies from France’s main student union, UNEF, and the Yellow Vest movement, an anti-establishment movement that emerged in 2018.

Several cities outside the capital have also banned protests. However, Marseille, France’s second-largest city, has lifted an earlier restriction and confirmed that a trade union demonstration would be allowed to proceed.

UNEF said its planned rallies would go ahead regardless of the restrictions. The demonstrations grew out of student protests last month over teacher shortages and poor school facilities.

Marylise Léon, secretary-general of the CFDT, one of France’s largest trade unions, criticised President Emmanuel Macron for failing to authorise more demonstrations.

"It's counterproductive because there is a lot of anger, a lot ‌of anger ⁠and a demand to be considered and to be listened to," she told French broadcaster TF1. "It's not for the president to decide who can legitimately request to protest."

Nunez said 10,000 more police would be on the streets than a week ago, while mounted police, helicopters, drones and anti-drone systems would be deployed across the country.

Armoured vehicles and water cannon vehicles would also be available, while curfews imposed in some sensitive areas this past week would remain in force.

Authorities are also concerned that the annual congress of Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally in Orleans this weekend could become a flashpoint, with left-wing and anti-racist groups announcing counter-demonstrations.

The upsurge ⁠of violence has boosted poll ratings for Le Pen, who is the frontrunner for next year's presidential election. She has portrayed the unrest as evidence of a collapse in state authority.

Fears of renewed turmoil prompted several of Paris' best-known cultural institutions, including the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and the Opera House, to close all day on Saturday.

Paris St Germain's home Ligue 1 soccer match with Olympique Lyonnais was shifted from Sunday to Monday over security concerns. ⁠However, an NFL regular-season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints is still scheduled to be played in Paris on Sunday, although US President Donald Trump suggested it should be cancelled.

Business groups also urged shops to stay shut after some 3,000 stores and businesses were ransacked last weekend.

Source: Reuters



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