Hundreds of protests expected across France as 70,000 police deployed
Protests are planned across France and several European countries, with shops, businesses and tourist sites closed amid fears of violence after a deadly attack near Paris.
France is bracing for hundreds of protests across the country, with authorities deploying around 70,000 officers and many shops, businesses and tourist sites closed as a precaution. Demonstrations are also expected in Italy, Spain, Austria, Portugal, Albania and Ireland.
The mood in Paris has been shaped by fear and shock after what the government described as a « racist, terrorist attack » in two towns west of the capital on Friday. A 26-year-old martial arts star from a club outside Paris was killed, and five other people were injured, including a 12-year-old girl who was shot eight times when a gunman pointed an automatic weapon from his car. The attack took place in Trappes, and the victims' families and the wider community are now grieving a loss that has deeply unsettled residents.
Local officials expressed solidarity with those affected. One official said they wanted to « express our support and condolences to the victims, their families, and all the residents of Trappes ». The same official argued that « this violence does not come from nowhere, it comes from speeches that convey racism, anti-Semitism, violence, which essentially come from the speeches of the far right ». That statement has added a political dimension to a debate already charged by the attack itself.
The security response has extended well beyond the streets. Reports indicate that shops in several cities have been boarded up, and tourist attractions have been shut ahead of the demonstrations. The Louvre, one of the country's most visited museums, closed over fears of violence in Paris, and a raft of other top museums has also shut its doors. For visitors and the businesses that depend on them, the closures mean lost trade on what would otherwise be a normal working period.
The demonstrations follow a weekend of unrest in which fires were started, public buildings were stormed and clashes with police broke out. Those events occurred during cost-of-living protests, and the mobilisation is continuing. Student representatives said they are « not satisfied » after meeting President Emmanuel Macron, and have urged pupils to keep mobilising. Their stated dissatisfaction suggests that the demands behind the protests remain unresolved, even as the government focuses on public order.
With the police presence at a very large scale and public venues closing in advance, the coming days will test whether the authorities can contain the demonstrations while the country remains on edge after the killing in Trappes. The authorities' response, and the tone of the political debate that follows the attack, will shape how the protests unfold across France and its neighbours.
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