France is preparing for new protests

Today, Saturday, France is preparing for new protest movements that are expected to focus on issues ranging from child protection and inflation, to opposition to a new draft law related to the police.

The second largest economy in the European Union has been facing protests by various social groups for more than a month, the most prominent of which were the movements of school students and the protest against the high cost of living, before the presidential elections scheduled for next April.

The demonstrations were largely peaceful, but included rioting and looting. Protesters accused the police of using excessive violence.

On the fifth consecutive Saturday of protest, a major rally is scheduled to be held in Paris starting at 1 p.m. (12:00 GMT), and dozens more across the country.

In the capital, the "yellow vest" movement will join schoolchildren, unions and other activists defending children's rights or opposing a draft law that would give police greater protection when using weapons.

“We cannot focus on one issue and neglect others,” said Claire Burdell, from a group that combats violence against children and teenagers.

Activists have recently called for strengthening the protection of children from sexual assault, and others have protested against artificial intelligence and its harm to job opportunities.

Others are participating in a protest against a draft law being considered by the National Assembly, which would give police officers who use their weapons a legal presumption that they were in a state of legitimate self-defense.

Its supporters, including the far-right National Rally party led by presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, say that this measure is necessary to avoid automatic suspicion of the police using excessive force.

But opponents of the bill, which was approved by the House of Representatives and will soon be presented to the Senate, believe that it amounts to a “license to kill,” and will make holding law enforcement forces accountable extremely difficult.

According to the authorities, about 146,000 people participated in the demonstrations across France last Saturday, a much smaller number than in previous weeks.

The largest protests in recent weeks took place during a strike called by unions last Thursday. More than half a million people took to the streets across the country, according to official figures.

The unions called for a new strike, on Tuesday, after they rejected the government’s pledge to raise the minimum wage by 0.6 percent, considering that to be just “crumbs,” according to what Agence France-Presse reported.