France ramps up police and bans unaccompanied minors as protests loom
The French government announced a larger police presence and a new ban on unaccompanied minors in several cities ahead of a planned mass protest.
Facing growing unrest before the presidential election, France's government is preparing for a large demonstration scheduled for Saturday. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said police numbers will be significantly increased, criticizing the previous deployment as insufficiently flexible. Justice Minister Zeralda Darmanen introduced a ban on unaccompanied minors in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice and Marseille, citing recent incidents.
Police have arrested a number of participants, the majority being adult men, and some have already been sentenced. The CGT union condemned the government's strategy as chaotic and will meet with other unions this morning. Meanwhile, right-wing senator Zerar Larse blamed the far-left for inciting hate, while the Socialist and Green parties warned against inflammatory rhetoric.
Why it matters
The measures signal rising tension in France ahead of a crucial presidential election.
How this story developed
- Oct 5 French protests and media framing expose deeper European economic and migration crises
- Oct 8 Teenagers continue to block high schools across France, demanding action on teacher shortages and crumbling facilities, while the government promises quick, funded solutions without detailing them.
- Oct 8 Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a platform for student demands.
- Oct 9 The government pledged to allocate about 3,000 fully qualified teachers to address staffing gaps.
- Oct 12 Since the initial coverage, the protests have expanded beyond students to include civil servants, farmers and logistics workers.
- Oct 13 Police made about 500 arrests during Thursday's nationwide protest.
- Oct 18 A grenade injury to a 15‑year‑old has intensified criticism of police crowd‑control tactics.
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