France deploys 70,000 police ahead of Halloween protests, citing disorder risk

The short version

• Interior Minister Laurent Nunez says about 70,000 police and gendarmes will be mobilized nationwide for Saturday's Halloween protests.[Al Jazeera]
• Nunez says demonstrations will not be allowed in city centres, and gatherings calling for revolution will be banned.[Al Jazeera]
• The interior ministry reports more than 2,700 arrests last week, while unions dispute its 410,000 turnout figure for the prior Saturday.[Al Jazeera]
• Whether the deployment prevents disorder is unknown, since the reporting predates Saturday's protests.[Al Jazeera]

Key facts

• France will deploy about 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide for Saturday's protests, matching the number deployed at last week's protests.[Al Jazeera]
• Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said October 31 presents a very high risk of public disorder.[Al Jazeera]
• The interior ministry put last Saturday's nationwide turnout at about 410,000, while unions put it at roughly double that.[Al Jazeera]
• The ministry reported that more than 2,700 people were arrested a week earlier.[Al Jazeera]
• Nunez said demonstrations would be allowed but not in city centres, where there is a risk of public disorder.[Al Jazeera]
• Nunez accused the ultra-left movement and some yellow vest activists of promoting Halloween gatherings calling for revolution on social media, and said these gatherings will be banned.[Al Jazeera]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• France braces for ‘very high risk’ of disorder at Halloween protestsAl Jazeera
• French minister warns of 'very high' violence risk as country braces for Halloween protestsFrance 24
• Cost of living protests to spread to Germany and reignite in France on HalloweenThe Guardian - World