French police deploy tear gas as authorities brace for new wave of protests
Police used tear gas in Lyon and deployed thousands of officers nationwide as France prepares for further demonstrations over the cost of living and upcoming elections.
French police fired tear gas at a group of protesters in Lyon on Saturday as part of a heightened security effort to deter a repeat of last week's unrest. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said up to 70,000 officers, supported by helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons, would be deployed across the country.
In Lyon, about 150 demonstrators attempted to block a road near the city centre. A 21-year-old student, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said authorities were "really mobile" and dispersed marches before they formed.
In Orléans, thousands marched against a congress of Marine Le Pen's National Rally party. Police estimated 11,000 participants, while organizers claimed 26,000. Demonstrators shouted slogans targeting both President Emmanuel Macron and Le Pen.
Paris authorities closed major museums, including the Louvre and the Orsay, and limited access to cultural events ahead of the protests. The city also cancelled the weekend program of the Art Basel fair. The first NFL game in France, scheduled for Sunday in Paris, remains on the calendar, though several related venues have been shuttered.
Shopkeepers in Paris have boarded up storefronts to protect against looting. Approximately 3,000 shops were damaged or looted nationwide during the previous weekend's disturbances, which began with student protests in the southeast of Paris and expanded to broader demands for relief from rising living costs.
Protest marches are planned for Paris and Marseille, while rallies in Lyon, Nice and Montpellier have been prohibited by local officials. In Limoges, a suspected arson attack nearly destroyed the 19th-century city hall.