France mobilizes 70,000 officers for Halloween street clashes

Seventy thousand police officers and gendarmes will take to the streets of France on Saturday, October 31, in preparation for nationwide demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the deployment on Thursday, citing a very high risk of public disorder. He described the mobilization as an exceptional measure that matches the security level used during last week's rallies.

Nunez stated that authorities will strengthen security protocols, including the use of armoured vehicles and water cannon that were introduced last week. He warned that while demonstrations would be permitted, they would not be allowed in city centres where the risk of disorder is highest. The minister specifically cautioned protesters against using Halloween masks as a legitimate reason to hide their faces while causing disturbances.

The upcoming protests are part of a wider movement against rising living costs that has recently resulted in looting and riots. Last Saturday's demonstrations drew approximately 410,000 participants according to the interior ministry, though unions estimated the crowd was roughly double that size. More than 2,700 people were arrested during that previous event.

Nunez directed his warnings toward far-right groups that clashed with left-wing protesters in about 15 cities recently. He pledged an extremely firm response and said authorities would tolerate no excesses. The minister accused ultra-left movements and some yellow vest activists of promoting social media messages calling for a revolution on Halloween evening. He declared that such gatherings would be banned.

The yellow vest movement has announced a third act of its campaign for the holiday. Organizers have called for demonstrations outside the National Assembly and in town halls across the country. Student unions have also joined the call for a new day of protest on Saturday.