French Police Arrest 135 as Protests Grip Cities Nationwide

PARIS, Oct 24 (OPA) — French security forces deployed 70,000 officers nationwide on Saturday to manage a fresh wave of protests organized by student unions and labor groups. Clashes erupted in Paris and other major cities, leading to 135 arrests. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that police seized weapons and gas masks from demonstrators, though officials later described the overall situation as calm.

Interior Minister Nunez warned that the government would show zero tolerance toward rioters and looters, citing intelligence regarding calls for violence from radical leftist factions. The unrest follows a period of intense volatility that saw over 2,700 arrests and significant damage to businesses. In response, authorities shuttered major cultural sites including the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, and the Picasso Museum, while a scheduled football match was postponed until Monday.

Public dissatisfaction remains high as citizens grapple with rising living costs and concerns over potential future austerity measures. The movement, which originated from high school students demanding improved school conditions and staffing, has evolved into a broader challenge against the government. President Emmanuel Macron met with student representatives on Friday, promising a new package of educational reforms to be unveiled Monday, though student leaders maintained that mobilization would continue.

France faces a deeply polarized political landscape as the country approaches the end of President Macron’s term next spring. With polls suggesting the centrist incumbent faces a difficult path to the second round of elections, opposition parties from both the far-right and radical left are leveraging the current instability to criticize the government's handling of the crisis. Local authorities remain divided on protest permissions, with some cities enforcing total bans while others allow pre-authorized marches.