Police Surge by 20 Percent as Paris Narrows Student March Route
Authorities confined the weekend procession to a single boulevard after banning a central path, deploying 70,000 officers to prevent a repeat of last week's unrest.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
Paris police confined the weekend student march to a single route along the city's southeastern edge on Saturday, a move that angered organizers but kept the procession moving. The march started at Porte d'Italie and ended at Porte de Vincennes, following the Boulevards des Marechaux. Local officials declared this the only permitted path after scrapping an earlier agreement for a central route between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation. Authorities also blocked protests led by groups other than labor unions.
The last-minute change drew criticism from participants. Emma, a podcaster and protester, described the tactic as an effort by the government to drain the movement's energy. Monica, a retired education worker, said the decision made the authorities look like they wanted to hide the movement. Neither provided a surname.
Nationwide, the interior ministry reported that more than 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were on duty. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that this represented a 20 percent increase over the previous weekend. The elite RAID unit supported other police operations rather than managing crowds directly. The surge aimed to prevent a repeat of October 17, when more than 500,000 people marched in peaceful conditions before looting and vandalism damaged thousands of businesses. Official figures from that day showed over 2,000 people taken into custody.
By early Saturday afternoon, police reported at least 135 arrests nationwide and the seizure of various weapons. They described the overall situation as calm. In central Paris, 24 metro stations closed at the request of the police prefecture. The Louvre and Musee d'Orsay museums shut their doors, and Art Basel Paris cancelled its weekend events. Many businesses shuttered early, with some hiring private security to guard their windows.
The demonstrations target deteriorating school conditions and rising living costs. The unrest began in mid-September when high school students blockaded campuses over teacher shortages and the university admission system. President Emmanuel Macron met with student representatives on Friday for the first time since the protests began. He promised to hire more teachers and overhaul the Parcoursup application system. Student groups said they will continue mobilizing until the government presents concrete actions.
Protests in other cities faced strict limits. Authorities banned demonstrations in the downtown areas of Montpellier, Rouen, and Nice. In Lyon, police fired tear gas to disperse a group of about 150 demonstrators. A union march in Marseille proceeded under tight conditions. The Yellow Vest movement scheduled its own protest for October 31.
The political stakes are high with a presidential election due in 2027. President Macron cannot run for a third term. Marine Le Pen, who has campaigned on restoring order, leads recent polls by a wide margin. In Orleans, thousands chanted anti-fascist slogans as her National Rally party held a congress. Authorities expected 20,000 to 30,000 people to join a counter-demonstration there.
