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The action on Saturday, October 24, 2026 took place under heavy security and ended without major unrest. As of Saturday afternoon, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police had arrested 135 people across the country, most of them from preliminary checks that found objects suspected of being intended for use as weapons, such as fireworks and metal ball bearings. Nuñez stated there had been no major incidents as of midday.
As of 1:00 p.m., the number of participants was estimated at around 35,000 people nationwide, down from 60,000 at the same time last Saturday. The Interior Ministry recorded 136 demonstrations in public spaces, compared with 264 at the same time last week. In Paris, thousands of demonstrators marched from Porte d'Italie, the route designated by police, while shops remained boarded up and major museums were closed.
Sporadic clashes continued in several cities. Police fired tear gas in Lyon to disperse dozens of demonstrators in an area where protests were banned, as well as in minor clashes in Lille, Nice, Rennes, and Dijon. Similar actions were also reported in several European cities, including Milan, Spain, and Albania.
70,000 Personnel Deployed Across the Country
France deployed around 70,000 police officers and gendarmes across the country on Saturday, October 24, 2026, to oversee demonstrations against the cost of living and public service cuts. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the deployment on Friday, October 23, and stressed that authorities would not tolerate violence or looting.
“We are prepared to be very firm,” Nuñez told reporters. He said calls were circulating on social media from ultra-left groups to target public buildings, so security had to be increased.
This deployment is around 20 percent larger than the October 17 operation, which involved about 60,000 personnel. In addition to police and gendarmes, soldiers from the Sentinelle operation are helping guard sensitive buildings, while special units, helicopters, water cannons and Centaur armored vehicles are on standby.
Paris Route Disputed, Union Insists on Bastille
In Paris, a march is planned through the city center on Saturday afternoon. Police have set a route from Porte d'Italie to Porte de Vincennes permitted from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with departure announced for 2:00 p.m.
The labor union coalition rejected the route designated by police and insisted on sticking with the Bastille route as originally planned. The Bastille-Nation route, which was reportedly agreed upon on October 22, was subsequently banned by decree on October 23, leaving the route dispute unresolved until the day of the event.
President Emmanuel Macron previously stated that only demonstrations organized by labor unions would be approved by local authorities this weekend. Macron also held a defense council meeting and met with student representatives, but the student representatives stated that the protests would continue.
Background: October 17 Action Ends in Riot and Looting
This wave of protests began with high school students demonstrating against school conditions, teacher shortages, and poor facilities. The movement then broadened into protests over the cost of living, fuel prices, and pressure on public services, with support from labor unions and the Yellow Vest movement that emerged in 2018.
On October 17, the Interior Ministry recorded around 550,000 participants in more than 100 marches across the country, including around 110,000 people in Paris, while organizers claimed the number was close to 800,000. Most of the marches were peaceful during the day, but masked groups disrupted the atmosphere at night.
The riots resulted in around 3,000 shops being damaged or looted and 2,700 people arrested, according to Bloomberg. The government subsequently imposed curfews in several areas of Paris and other cities in the following days.
Louvre Closed, Luxury Stores Boarded Up, Matches Postponed
The impact of the security measures was felt in the cultural and sports sectors. The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Picasso Museum, and Grand Palais closed on Saturday, while Art Basel Paris canceled its weekend program. The NFL pop-up store on Rue Saint-Merri also closed on Saturday, and a Steelers fan event in the Bastille area was canceled.
In the upscale area of Paris, staff at Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Bulgari stores near Place Vendôme are increasing security and installing boards on display windows. The Printemps department store has added security personnel and reinforced its windows and entrances,
On the green pitch, the PSG vs Lyon match has been moved from Sunday, October 25 to Monday, October 26 at 8:30 p.m. at the request of the Paris Police Prefecture. The Toulouse vs Troyes match has been moved from Saturday to Sunday, and two Ligue 2 matches in Saint-Étienne and Montpellier have been moved to Saturday night. The NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France on Sunday will go ahead as scheduled.
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