135 Detained as France Guards Streets

French authorities deployed 70,000 police officers to major cities on Saturday to manage the second consecutive weekend of nationwide protests over the cost of living.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that 135 people were arrested during the demonstrations. He stated that forces seized various items, including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns. Nuñez characterized the day as having no major incidents despite the heavy security presence.

In Lyon, where demonstrations were officially banned, approximately 150 protesters near the city center attempted to block a road. Police used tear gas to disperse the group. A 21-year-old student told Agence France-Presse that officers were highly mobile, noting that they often disperse marches before they fully form.

In Orleans, crowds gathered to oppose a congress of Marine Le Pen's National Rally party. Le Pen is using the event to launch her presidential bid for the election scheduled in six months. Police counted 11,000 participants, while organizers claimed 26,000 people attended. Roughly 50 groups, including unions and left-wing parties, organized the march. Participants chanted slogans demanding Macron's resignation and Le Pen's imprisonment. French media reported the event ended peacefully early in the afternoon.

In Paris, authorities moved the sole authorized march from the Bastille to the more remote Porte d'Italie at the city's southeastern edge. Union representative Murielle Guilbert described the last-minute change as scandalous, arguing that Macron barred protesters from demonstrating in their preferred locations. She added that wages have not yet risen to the expected levels. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it is normal for people to be angry.

The unrest has disrupted daily life and major events in the capital. Major museums are closed, and many businesses have boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened on Friday for a single day, canceling its weekend program. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, originally planned for Sunday, has been moved to Monday night. Approximately 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend's protests.

The Yellow Vests, who emerged about eight years ago to protest against Macron, announced plans for further demonstrations on October 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, condemning the government's authoritarian drift.