France Deploys 70,000 Police as Youth Protests Spread Across Europe
Demonstrations over living costs and education have expanded beyond France, prompting heightened security measures in several European capitals.
France is bracing for a third consecutive weekend of protests, with authorities deploying 70,000 police officers and gendarmes to manage youth-led rallies concerning living costs and education. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has warned of a "very high risk" of disorder, particularly on Halloween night.
Parisian authorities have imposed restrictions on marches, moving the main demonstration to the city's outer boulevards. The Paris court on Wednesday had suspended an earlier curfew imposed on minors, ruling it an infringement on freedom of movement.
The movement, which began with high school students protesting educational conditions, has broadened to encompass wider discontent over the cost of living. Previous demonstrations saw significant participation, with approximately 550,000 marchers on October 17, a day marked by looting and hundreds of shop break-ins. The following Saturday, protests were largely peaceful, but over 1,300 arrests were made.
The protests have extended beyond France, with similar youth-led demonstrations erupting across Europe. In Germany, a youth initiative known as "Gen Z regelt" has organized protests in around 30 cities under the banner of advocating for education, healthcare, climate protection, and affordability, while opposing the potential reintroduction of mandatory military service. Berlin police anticipate around 10,000 participants at the Brandenburg Gate, and some shops on Kurfuerstendamm boulevard have boarded up their windows as a precaution.
In Spain, Catalan police have enacted their highest alert level in Barcelona following calls for new gatherings on the anonymous TikTok network Blocus. Rioting in Barcelona last Saturday resulted in approximately 130 arrests, primarily of minors.
Italian police are on alert after clashes in Milan, Turin, and Bologna. Additionally, protest calls have surfaced on TikTok in Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and Portugal, indicating a widening regional impact of the youth-led unrest.