France Mobilises 70,000 Security Personnel Ahead of Fresh Nationwide Protests

The protests brought together grievances over rising living costs, deteriorating public services and problems in education. BBC Persian reported on October 17 that tens of thousands of people had taken to the streets over education quality and household costs.

Student protests widened into a broader mobilisation that included the returning yellow vest movement, according to ISNA. Its October 18 report cited French authorities putting participation at about 550,000. That differs from Tabnak, which reported more than 800,000 participants.

On October 17, Radio Farda reported clashes in Paris and Marseille, police use of tear gas and dozens of arrests. Deutsche Welle Persian described fires, looting and hundreds of arrests as unrest spread through cities including Paris, Lyon and Marseille.

By October 18, BBC Persian reported more than 1,200 arrests during the previous day's protests. Deutsche Welle Persian reported 150 injured police officers, injuries among protesters and several million euros in damage. Fresh clashes broke out in Paris, according to Iran International.

On October 19, Radio Farda reported that President Emmanuel Macron had condemned uncontrolled street violence in a televised message. That report also put arrests in a single day at 2,400. The figures cover different reporting periods and should not be added together.

Authorities then imposed curfews. BBC Persian reported restrictions for Monday and Tuesday nights in areas of several northern cities, while Iran International reported restrictions in parts of Paris, Lille, Nice and other cities. On October 20, Iran International described a quiet night after the curfews, but said student groups and yellow vests were calling for fresh demonstrations the following Saturday.

On October 22, Macron announced that demonstrations described as illegal would be prohibited in the coming days, according to VOA Persian. He accused far-left groups of seeking to destabilise the country and overthrow the republican system. Separately, Mehr News reported that the justice minister put arrests during the recent unrest at 2,700.

France is preparing for another nationwide protest round rather than treating the quieter nights as an end to the unrest. On October 23, Iran International reported that the government would mobilise 70,000 security personnel to maintain public order.

ISNA reported that police trainees had been called up to guard buildings and handle administrative work at police stations, alongside the deployment of tens of thousands of military personnel. The accounts describe the mobilisation differently and do not establish how those personnel totals overlap.

The preparations also affect public institutions. Iran International reported that the culture ministry had announced Saturday closures for the Louvre and several other major Paris museums because of security concerns.

The immediate test is Saturday's planned demonstrations: their turnout, whether clashes recur and how authorities enforce the announced restrictions. Student unions and yellow vests were preparing fresh protests despite Macron's warning that the government would not allow a repeat of the previous week's violence, according to VOA Persian.

There is also a proposed response to the grievances behind the protests. ISNA reported on October 22 that university heads had called for a national youth conference to address young people's problems. The supplied coverage does not establish whether that proposal has been accepted.