France prepares for mass protests under heightened security

French authorities are on high alert as the country braces for a new wave of mass demonstrations scheduled for Saturday. To prevent a repeat of recent violent clashes and property destruction, the government has deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, supported by specialized units, armored vehicles, and water cannons. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez cited numerous online calls for rioting and looting as the primary justification for the massive security mobilization and localized nighttime curfews in major cities like Paris, Lyon, Nice, and Marseille.

In the lead-up to these protests, President Emmanuel Macron held a defense council meeting and, for the first time, met with student union representatives to address their concerns. Tensions were further exacerbated by a shooting in the Paris suburb of Trappes, which the government officially designated a terrorist attack, resulting in one death and at least four injuries. With presidential elections approaching in six months, the government is attempting to balance public order with addressing the civil unrest, while Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is assessing damage in affected areas like Limoges, where the town hall was recently set on fire.