English
France is preparing for a fifth consecutive wave of nationwide protests on Saturday, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez expecting between 50 and 60 marches across the country. Authorities plan to deploy around 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, matching the security levels seen during the three previous rounds of weekend demonstrations held since October 24.
Large Turnout Expected in Paris
A police source told AFP that between 30,000 and 60,000 people could gather in Paris alone. Officials also warned that the crowd may include between 300 and 600 high-risk individuals. The Paris march will begin at 1:00 pm from Place de la République, moving toward Place de la Nation via Bastille.
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Organisers chose this route deliberately. It allows families with children to leave the demonstration before the dispersal phase. This approach aims to reduce the risk of clashes with police, which have frequently occurred at the end of previous marches.
Protests Driven by Cost-of-Living Anger
The demonstrations are part of an ongoing movement against the high cost of living. The “Yellow Vests” coordination group has helped organise Saturday protests across France since October 17. By Friday afternoon, the group listed 338 planned demonstrations nationwide on its website for Saturday’s day of action.
Meanwhile, aerial surveillance has become a regular feature of the protest landscape. Helicopters and drones have monitored demonstrations consistently since October 17. From the FRANCE 24 office in Issy-les-Moulineaux, the sound of monitoring helicopters was already audible ahead of Saturday afternoon’s planned march.
As France braces for another major day of unrest, security forces remain on high alert. Authorities are drawing on the experience of previous weekends to manage the scale and intensity of the protests. The fifth wave of demonstrations signals that public frustration over living costs shows no sign of easing.
