French police fired tear gas at protesters in Lyon on Saturday as authorities intensified security across major cities to prevent a repeat of the rioting that erupted during nationwide demonstrations a week earlier.
Police in the southeastern city of Lyon dispersed about 150 protesters near the city centre after some demonstrators briefly attempted to block a road in an area where protests had been banned, an AFP journalist reported.
“The police are really mobile. They come and disperse marches before they even form,” a 21-year-old student who had arrived to protest said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Authorities deployed about 70,000 security personnel nationwide amid what the Interior Ministry described as a “high” risk of violence.
In Paris, shop owners took precautions ahead of the demonstrations, with several businesses boarding up their windows and removing merchandise from display.
A clothing store near the Bastille district cleared its shelves, while a nearby restaurant was boarded up but displayed signs saying it remained open. The Louvre and Musée d’Orsay museums were also closed.
Paris police said at midday that officers had confiscated “various forbidden items” but described the overall situation as calm.
In Marseille, riot police vehicles, armoured trucks and a water cannon were deployed in the city centre as authorities prepared for possible clashes.
The protests coincided with a congress of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party in Orleans, where the far-right politician launched her campaign ahead of elections expected in six months to choose President Emmanuel Macron’s successor.
Thousands of anti-fascist protesters marched against Le Pen and Macron, chanting, “Macron resign. Le Pen in prison.”
Police estimated the crowd at about 11,000, while organisers put the figure at 26,000.
The demonstrations come amid heightened political tensions in France, with opinion polls indicating that Le Pen is currently among the leading contenders to succeed Macron.
Last weekend, violence erupted on the fringes of nationwide demonstrations, with rioters clashing with police, vandalising public buildings and looting hundreds of shops.
About 2,700 people were arrested, while the retail sector estimated that businesses suffered hundreds of millions of euros in losses from damage and stolen goods.
Macron blamed much of the violence on “ultra-left” groups, accusing them of seeking to undermine the French Republic.
Organisers of the renewed demonstrations, however, accused Macron’s government of failing to address widespread anger over the rising cost of living and deteriorating conditions in schools.
The protests form part of wider unrest across parts of Europe, including Italy, Belgium, Spain and Portugal, where demonstrations have been driven by varying concerns but have included grievances over inflation and education.
Italy has also deployed about 500 troops to Milan following recent street violence.