Following the looting and violence in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities in France on October 17, the government announced new security measures. On the other hand, a curfew will be imposed in some regions of the capital Paris today.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday that security forces will be mobilized on a large scale ahead of new protests planned for Saturday.
"The security deployment next Saturday will be very large-scale," Lecornu said. He stated that their priority is to restore public order.
Minister of Internal Affairs Laurent Nunez also announced that military units would be assigned together with the police in the parliamentary session, which sometimes witnessed harsh debates.
The government also announced that it would change its security strategy following criticism that city centers were left vulnerable to violence.
GOVERNMENT ADMITTED ITS MISTAKES
Prime Minister Lecornu described the events as "a choice between violence and the Republic" and blamed far-left groups for the unrest.
Left groups accuse the government of underestimating social anger over the high cost of living and the deterioration in public services.
Lecornu admitted that there were intelligence deficiencies in the response to the weekend events, that police forces were not deployed sufficiently, and that it was a mistake not to cancel previously planned police leaves.
Interior Minister Nunez said, "I am deeply saddened by what happened. I accept my part of the responsibility." he said.
Curfew in some cities
The government announced that regional curfews implemented in the affected areas helped restore public order.
Republic Square (Place de la République) in the center of Paris was evacuated by the police and surrounded by security throughout the night. Helicopters also patrolled the area.
While a curfew was imposed in the northern city of Lille, covering only children and young people, police teams carried out identity checks in the city center.
Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan also announced that a curfew will be imposed on minors as of Tuesday night in the commercial districts most affected by the weekend events.
THE PERSON SUSPECTED OF BURNING THE HISTORICAL CITY HALL WAS CAUGHT
A suspect in connection with the arson attack that caused the historical town hall to burn down during the weekend events in Limoges, France, was detained on Tuesday.
Authorities announced that the suspect was previously on the security forces' watch list and was linked to a far-left group.
While the Parliament started preparations to establish an investigation commission to investigate the causes of the events, 200 investigators were assigned to identify and capture the people involved in the violence on the streets.
PROTESTS ALSO AFFECTED THE ECONOMY
Following the violent incidents, political and economic uncertainties also increased.
While France's borrowing costs continued to rise on Tuesday, the interest rate on 10-year government bonds reached the highest level in the last 24 years due to concerns that the demonstrations could intensify again.
The magnitude of the events and the inadequacy of the security forces to intervene also increased political tension before the presidential elections to be held in 2027.
The strong performance of far-right and radical left candidates in public opinion polls deepens concerns about political polarization in the country.
YELLOW VESTS ARE GOING ON THE STREET AGAIN
UNEF, one of France's leading student unions, called for new protests on Saturday on the grounds that the education system is deteriorating and is not adequately funded.
The union shared the message "We continue" in its statement on social media.
On the other hand, groups defining themselves as Yellow Vests also called for action against increasing fuel prices.
The Yellow Vest movement emerged in response to plans to increase fuel taxes in 2018, during President Emmanuel Macron's first term.
The road closures, which lasted for months, ended after the government made important economic concessions.
The revival of the movement, which has largely lost its influence in recent years, could increase the pressure on the French government, which is struggling with budget problems.
PROTESTS SPREAD TO ITALY AND ALBANIA
Social unrest was not limited to France alone.
There were violent incidents last weekend in many cities in the north, including Milan, Italy's financial center.
The events, which were not as large-scale as those in France, prompted the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to prepare new security measures.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto described the events as a kind of "hybrid war" waged through TikTok, YouTube and other social media platforms.
Crosetto argued that what happened in Milan and other cities was different from the events in the past and claimed that Western countries had not yet realized this threat.
On and Levi's stores, located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II in the center of Milan and targeted during the incidents, reopened on Tuesday. However, the store windows were kept closed with protective panels for security purposes.
In Albania, protests against the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama are expected to enter their seventh day in the capital Tirana.
