France braces for ‘very high risk’ of disorder at Halloween protests

France's interior minister has confirmed the deployment of 70, 000 police officers nationwide in preparation for planned protests on Saturday, coinciding with Halloween.

Key points

• Though unions put the figure at roughly double that, demonstrations last Saturday drew regarding 410, 000 protesters nationwide, according to the interior ministry.
• Regarding 70, 000 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilised, matching the number deployed at last week's protests, he stated, calling the move an "exceptional measure".
• Interior Minister Laurent Nunez remarked on Thursday that security measures, including the apply of armoured vehicles and water cannon introduced last week, will be strengthened.
• "The day of October 31 presents a very high risk of public disorder, " Nunez remarked at a news conference.
• The interior minister issued a warning to far-right groups that clashed with left-wing protesters at rallies in regarding 15 French cities.

Nationwide protests over the rising cost of living have rocked France, with some degenerating into large-scale looting and riots.

Though unions put the figure at roughly double that, demonstrations last Saturday drew regarding 410, 000 protesters nationwide, according to the interior ministry. The ministry remarked more than 2, 700 residents were arrested a week earlier. Warning on Halloween masking.

For context, the "yellow vest" movement and student unions have pressed a new day of protests on Saturday.

Nunez cautioned demonstrators against using Halloween as "a legitimate reason to hide one's face" to cause disturbances in public areas.

He remarked to journalists demonstrations would be allowed, but "not in city centres, where there is a risk of public disorder".

Meanwhile, the interior minister issued a warning to far-right groups that clashed with left-wing protesters at rallies in regarding 15 French cities.

"We will tolerate no excesses, " he remarked, and pledged an "extremely firm" response.

Nunez accused the "ultra-left" movement and some yellow vest activists of circulating messages on social media promoting demonstrations on Halloween evening that pressed a "revolution". "These gatherings will be banned, " he remarked.

For context, the yellow vest movement has already confirmed a "third act" of its protests on Halloween and called on demonstrations outside the National Assembly and all town halls in the country.

In short, france braces for 'very high risk' of disorder at Halloween protests is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.