By INDERDEEP BAINS, CHIEF NEWS CORRESPONDENT
Published: | Updated:
France is bracing itself for fresh unrest on Saturday as its intelligence service warns up to half a million protesters could take to the streets – raising fears of a repeat of last week's riots.
Demonstrations will be held across the country, with attacks likely on public buildings and state symbols as well as 'opportunistic lootings'.
The warning has prompted shopkeepers to organise their own defence measures after last weekend's violence left many with little confidence that police could protect them.
On Friday night, Interior minister Laurent Nunez vowed to stand 'very firm' against what he described as calls for looting and violence from the ultra-Left.
He said 70,000 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilised alongside helicopters, armoured vehicles and water cannons. Elite police units will help secure public buildings such as city halls.
'There have been numerous calls from radical far-Left groups on social media to commit acts of violence and vandalism,' he said.
'There have also been renewed calls for looting, with messages clearly being spread by rioters.'
France is bracing itself for unrest as its intelligence service warns up to 500,000 protesters could take to the streets. Pictured: A car burns at Republique Square in Paris last Saturday
Laurent Nunez vowed to stand 'very firm' against what he described as calls for looting and violence from the ultra-Left
A man walks past stores with display windows protected by wooden panels ahead of protests this weekend
Across the weekend, demonstrations will be held across the country with attacks likely on public buildings and state symbols as well as 'opportunistic lootings'. Pictured: A man throws a plastic traffic cone through a burning barricade amid clashes
Workers lift a wooden panel to board up a shop window ahead of a demonstration planned in central Bordeaux, southwestern France
He said 'we will be uncompromising' with those involved in violence, warning that police will have a 'very firm approach to making arrests and there will be legal consequences'. He added: 'We are ready tomorrow to be extremely firm and not tolerate anything.'
Protests against the high cost of living descended into chaos last week, with looting, the storming of public buildings, smashing shop windows and clashes with police.
Students, the hard-Left CGT labour union and activists from the 'yellow vest' movement, whose rallies against social injustice shook France in 2018 and 2019, are all set to join protests on Saturday.
While demonstrations have been banned in several cities – including Lyon, Nice and Montpellier – marches are expected in places such as Paris and Marseille.
Security chiefs are said to be particularly concerned over potential clashes in Orleans, where protests are expected against Marine Le Pen's National Rally during the far-Right party's two-day conference.
As many as 40,000 people are expected to travel to Orleans, 70 miles from Paris, for the protest organised by groups including the CGT, Left-wing parties, students and anti-racism campaigners.
The National Rally is expecting 5,000 of its supporters on Saturday and 10,000 on Sunday, when Ms Le Pen is set to launch her presidential campaign.