More Than 600 Protests Planned Across France on October 24
More than 600 demonstrations are planned across France on October 24, the second consecutive weekend of protests over living costs, fuel prices, wages and public services, with authorities stepping up security following last weekend's violence.
France is bracing for a second weekend of widespread protest on October 24, with the 17 octobre gilet jaune website listing 646 planned mobilisations — including 455 demonstrations, 85 at roundabouts, 32 at railway stations and 15 at toll booths — and the number continuing to rise.
The protests follow a turbulent first weekend on October 17 that brought yellow vest protesters, workers, students, farmers and trade unions into the streets over concerns about living costs, fuel prices, wages and public services. That weekend also saw clashes, widespread looting and arson attacks. The interior ministry recorded 550,000 participants across 110 demonstrations, while organisers put the figure at 800,000. CCI France identified more than 2,000 shops vandalised by Thursday evening, with total damage estimated at hundreds of millions of euros. About 2,700 people were taken into police custody, of whom 217 were jailed.
Ahead of Saturday, authorities are deploying 20 per cent more police and gendarmes than the previous weekend. President Emmanuel Macron has said only union-organised demonstrations will be permitted. Lyon, Marseille and Nice have banned protests outright, while Toulon, Chambéry and Le Mans have restricted them in parts of their cities. Paris has also introduced restrictions, and some local authorities have imposed night-time curfews on unaccompanied minors.
The CGT trade union confederation is calling for continued mobilisation, with its general secretary Sophie Binet describing the right to demonstrate as "the foundation of democracy." The government is also considering bringing forward the next SMIC minimum wage increase, currently scheduled for January 1.
