Paris protest march rerouted as 24 metro stations close
Paris redirected its October 24 protest march and closed 24 metro stations, while a union march in Marseille received conditional permission. The arrangements follow earlier plans for wider restrictions, including a total ban in Marseille. France mobilised 70,000 police officers and gendarmes as protests over school conditions and living costs continued after President Emmanuel Macron met student representatives.
Geopolitics··Evening
Paris reroutes the march as Marseille permits a union protest
In Paris, a planned march was redirected from the Bastille–Nation route to a route starting at Porte d’Italie and heading towards Vincennes. Authorities closed 24 metro stations. The Louvre and Orsay museums shut to visitors, while the Art Basel fair cancelled its weekend programme over security concerns.[1]
Particular demonstrations were banned in Montpellier, Rouen, Nice and Lyon. A union march in Marseille received conditional authorisation. Another demonstration was planned in Orléans against a meeting of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party; preparations also covered the party gathering and its opponents.[1]
France assigns 70,000 officers to the demonstrations
France mobilised 70,000 police officers and gendarmes for nationwide demonstrations on October 24. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the deployment after the previous weekend’s unrest. The government increased security as a student-led protest movement continued its mobilisation against school conditions and the high cost of living.[1], [2]
The deployment was around 20 per cent larger than the previous week’s. RAID, France’s specialist police intervention unit, was available for high-risk incidents rather than routine crowd control. Authorities said the preparations aimed to prevent a repeat of the violence during the earlier protests.[1]
Student demands continue after Macron’s meeting
The movement began in September with demands about conditions in schools before expanding to living costs. More than half a million people demonstrated the previous weekend. Official figures put detentions on October 17 at more than 2,000; thousands of businesses were damaged or ransacked.[1]
President Emmanuel Macron met student representatives on Friday. Their discussions included additional teachers and changes to Parcoursup, France’s university-admissions system. Student representatives continued to call for mobilisation until the government announced concrete measures.[1]
