France prepares for new mass protests as some 70,000 police are deployed

Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to take to the streets across France as unions and student groups called fresh demonstrations and public-sector workers staged a national strike, while authorities deployed a large police presence to prevent a repeat of clashes earlier in the month.

The government announced a nationwide security deployment of roughly 70,000 police and gendarmes to cover protests and related unrest. ([interieur.gouv.fr](https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/actualites/actualites-du-ministere/mobilisation-nationale-du-31-octobre-fermete-face-aux-troubles-pour-preserver-liberte-de-manifester?utm_source=openai))

Trade unions including the left-leaning CGT (General Confederation of Labour), backed by student organisations, organised the mobilisation after weeks of protests over the rising cost of living, pressure on public services and complaints about the education system. Police sources and press analyses predicted very large crowds in several cities; some media projections suggested that, outside Paris, as many as 500,000–700,000 people could march. ([lemonde.fr](https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/live/2026/11/01/en-direct-manifestations-en-france-enquete-ouverte-apres-le-jet-d-un-cocktail-molotov-sur-des-gendarmes-a-paris-appel-au-blocus-lance-par-trois-organisations-lyceennes-et-etudiantes_6803391_3224.html?lmd_medium=al%2C&utm_source=openai))

Energy sector joins strikes; past disruptions recalled

The state energy group EDF said unions in the energy sector planned to join the strike, a development that raises the risk of service interruptions. Earlier strikes in the energy sector had already affected gas and electricity operations and disrupted deliveries to France’s LNG terminals — a vulnerability laid bare when blockades forced limitations on imports through the country’s terminals. ([ch.zonebourse.com](https://ch.zonebourse.com/actualite-bourse/approvisionnement-en-gnl-perturbe-en-france-par-une-greve-de-plusieurs-semaines-ce7d58d3d08af721?utm_source=openai))

The Education Ministry said participation by primary school teachers was expected to be around 17.5 percent, and unions warned of possible interruptions to rail and other public transport as workers staged walkouts. Many students were also expected to join demonstrations, citing poor school conditions and growing uncertainty about their futures.

“We are being extremely cautious, because under no circumstances must we allow a repeat of October 17,” Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon told reporters after a cabinet meeting. ([info.gouv.fr](https://www.info.gouv.fr/personnalite/maud-bregeon?utm_source=openai))

A 19-year-old student in Paris said: “We’re trying to encourage as many people as possible to take part in the protests. Some people don’t join because they are afraid. Many are afraid of police violence.”

President Emmanuel Macron convened security and defence meetings this week to plan the state response and to try to calm the political fallout ahead of the presidential campaign. Officials close to the president said the immediate goal was “to calm the situation, restore order and allow the presidential campaign to begin as peacefully as possible.” ([lemonde.fr](https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2026/10/23/face-aux-mobilisations-emmanuel-macron-reprend-les-commandes-sur-le-maintien-de-l-ordre_6798942_823448.html?utm_source=openai))

Authorities said last weekend’s nationwide protests were largely peaceful but that pockets of violence and looting on October 17 had left government leaders under strong criticism — a factor that explains the caution and the heavy security deployment this time. ([lemonde.fr](https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/live/2026/11/01/en-direct-manifestations-en-france-enquete-ouverte-apres-le-jet-d-un-cocktail-molotov-sur-des-gendarmes-a-paris-appel-au-blocus-lance-par-trois-organisations-lyceennes-et-etudiantes_6803391_3224.html?lmd_medium=al%2C&utm_source=openai))

Photo: EPA/FIRAS ABDULLAH