French police had made 135 arrests during nationwide demonstrations by 1 pm local time on Saturday, 24 October 2026, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed at a press briefing. A total of 136 public order incidents were recorded across the country, with 35,000 people counted in public spaces by early afternoon.

Scale of Deployment

Interior Minister Nunez said 70,000 police officers and gendarmes had been deployed nationwide ahead of the day's protests. Soldiers from the French army's Operation Sentinelle were also mobilised to help prevent violence, underscoring the government's concern about a repeat of the disorder seen in recent weeks. The scale of the security operation is among the largest seen in France for domestic demonstrations in recent years.

Cities Authorising Protests and Key Incidents

Several major French cities authorised demonstrations on Saturday, including Lille, Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Grenoble, Marseille, Toulouse, Amiens, and Paris. In Lyon, where demonstrations were banned across a large part of the city centre, small gatherings were dispersed by law enforcement officers using tear gas grenades, according to French television channel BFM TV. In Paris, the public transport operator RATP closed 24 metro stations from 9 am local time for security reasons.

Far-Right Congress Adds Political Tension

The protest weekend coincided with a politically charged event in Orléans, where nearly 15,000 supporters of the far-right National Rally (RN) were expected to gather over Saturday and Sunday for the party's congress and the formal launch of RN leader Marine Le Pen's presidential campaign, according to French daily Le Monde. Meanwhile, between 20,000 and 30,000 opponents of the far-right party were separately expected to demonstrate in the city on Saturday, raising the potential for confrontation.

Background: What Sparked the Unrest

The clashes originally erupted in late September over poor conditions in schools and teacher shortages. The movement quickly expanded into broader anti-government demonstrations fuelled by soaring living costs, high fuel prices, and public sector budget cuts — all directed at President Emmanuel Macron's administration. Nunez had previously noted that more than 2,000 people were arrested during violent protests across France in prior weeks, with material damage affecting several hundred businesses.

Government's Stance

'Demonstrating is a fundamental right. Causing disorder through coordinated violence is not,' Nunez said, striking a line between protecting civil liberties and maintaining order. The government's dual message — deploying massive security while defending the right to protest — reflects the delicate balance Paris is trying to maintain as unrest enters its second month.

With the National Rally congress in Orléans running through Sunday and protest momentum showing little sign of ebbing, the coming days will be closely watched for any escalation.