France deploys 70,000 officers as protests turn violent for second week

French authorities intensified their security posture on Saturday to prevent a recurrence of the chaos that gripped the country the previous weekend. Police deployed tear gas and made dozens of arrests in several cities as demonstrators took to the streets again to protest the high cost of living.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that 135 individuals were detained and various items seized from the crowd. The confiscated objects included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns. Nuñez stated that no major incident had occurred across the country so far, though he noted that up to 70,000 officers were deployed with support from helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons.

In Lyon, where demonstrations were officially banned, approximately 150 protesters attempted to block a road near the city center. Police used tear gas to disperse the group. A 21-year-old student who spoke to Agence France-Presse described the police as "really mobile," noting that officers arrived to disperse marches before they could fully form. 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. Marchers chanted for Macron to resign and Le Pen to go to prison, targeting both political figures amid a tight election race.

In Paris, authorities moved the only authorized march from the Bastille to the more remote Porte d'Italie at the last minute. Union organizers accepted the change reluctantly. Murielle Guilbert, a union representative, called it "scandalous" that the government barred protesters from demonstrating in their preferred location. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it was "normal for people to be angry" given that wages have not risen to the level they should.

The unrest has disrupted daily life and major events in the capital. Major museums remain closed, and many businesses have boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened for only one day before organizers cancelled the weekend program. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais originally planned for Sunday has been moved to Monday night. An NFL game involving the New Orleans Saints is still scheduled for Sunday, though some related venues were shut on Saturday. Around 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend's protests.

The movement began last month when high school students in southeastern Paris protested for better conditions. It has since expanded to include broader demands for relief from rising living costs. The Yellow Vests, a group that emerged about eight years ago, plan further demonstrations on Oct. 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, condemning the government's "authoritarian drift." Unrest has also spread to other parts of Europe, with Italy deploying soldiers to Milan and Albania using water cannons on student protesters in Tirana.