Demonstrations: France continues to protest - number of participants is decreasing

Paris. In France, thousands of people once again followed the call for protest from trade unions, youth organizations and the yellow vest movement. French Interior Ministry sources said there was a significant decrease in the number of demonstrators compared to previous weekends. At 2 p.m., before the central protest marches started moving, there were around 7,000 people. 18 people were arrested and more than 15,600 preventive checks were carried out. The situation in the national territory is “overall calm and under control”.

In order to protect inner cities, demonstrations are sometimes banned, for example in Lyon. According to media reports, people gathered there without officially registering, and tear gas was also used for the first time. In Bordeaux, the prefecture imposed a curfew on unaccompanied minors from 8 p.m. on Saturday evening to 7 a.m. on Sunday. In Paris, for example, a yellow vest rally was not allowed, but the union demonstration was. The police prefecture used a helicopter for coordination and surveillance. By 11 a.m., she also carried out 847 checks at train stations, among other things, as she announced on Platform X.

On the central Republic Square in Paris, from where the approved train started in the early afternoon, people were playing music, singing and dancing at midday, television images showed. They are demonstrating for the fourth Saturday in a row against, among other things, the high cost of living and problems in the education system. The young people are still determined and angry, said the general secretary of the UNEF student association, Manon Moret, on site. The government did not respond to their demands. Further protests are already planned for Tuesday.

The French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had announced a large police presence again. As on previous weekends, 70,000 security forces are said to be on duty, as well as armored vehicles and water cannons. There are renewed calls for violence against officials, public buildings and shops on social networks, said Nuñez. He announced that he would take tough action against rioters and looters.