France Arrests 135 as 70,000 Officers Guard Second Protest Weekend

French authorities arrested 135 individuals on Saturday while deploying up to 70,000 police officers across the country. This massive security presence aimed to prevent a repeat of the violence seen during the first weekend of nationwide protests over the cost of living, which drew more than half a million participants last week.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez detailed the operation, noting that officers seized a variety of items including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, and improvised weapons. The inventory also included a katana and airsoft weapons. Nuñez stated that there had been no major incident in the country thus far, describing the overall situation as stable despite the heavy deployment.

In Lyon, where demonstrations had been officially banned, approximately 150 protesters attempted to block a road near the city center. Police responded with tear gas to disperse the group. A 21-year-old student speaking to Agence France-Presse described the police as "really mobile," noting that officers "come and disperse marches before they even form."

Thousands of marchers gathered in Orléans to protest a congress by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party. Le Pen is using the event to launch her bid to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, with national elections six months away and polls showing her in a strong position. Demonstrators chanted slogans targeting both Le Pen and Macron. Police counted 11,000 attendees, while organizers claimed the crowd reached 26,000. The protest, called by roughly 50 groups including unions and left-wing parties, ended peacefully early in the afternoon.

In Paris, authorities described the mood at the Porte d’Itale as "calm." This was the only authorized march in the capital, moved at the last minute from the Bastille to a more remote location in the southeast. Union representative Murielle Guilbert called the move "scandalous," arguing that Macron had barred protesters from demonstrating where they wished. She added that wages had not yet risen to the expected level. Lucas, a student interviewed by CBS Saturday Morning, said it was "normal for people to be angry."

Daily life in the capital has been disrupted by the unrest. Major museums remain closed, and many businesses have boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened on Friday for a single day, with organizers canceling the rest of the weekend program. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, originally planned for Sunday, has been shifted to Monday night. About 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend's clashes.

The current wave of protests began last month when high school students in the southeast of Paris demanded better conditions. The movement expanded as workers and residents demanded relief from rising costs. The Yellow Vests, who emerged about eight years ago to protest against Macron, have announced further demonstrations for October 31. They plan rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, citing the government's "authoritarian drift."