Protests against the rising cost of living resumed in several areas of France on Saturday, with participation from students, unions, and activists from the "Yellow Vests" movement, amid a heavy security presence in anticipation of violence and riots.
Agence France-Presse reported, citing French authorities, that approximately 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed across the country, an increase of 20 percent compared to last week.
In the same context, riot police and armored vehicles were deployed in several locations in Marseille, southern France, while police used tear gas to disperse about 150 protesters in the city of Lyon.
For its part, authorities in Paris imposed restrictions on protest routes, and shop owners in the capital fortified their storefronts with wooden boards out of fear of a recurrence of looting and vandalism.
This wave of protests involves high school students, unions, and activists from the "Yellow Vests" movement, just six months before the presidential elections, in a country causing growing concern in financial markets due to its debt levels and instability.
The movement stated that it called for new protests on October 31, demanding the defense of public freedoms, while accusing the government of inciting violence by "far-left" forces.
Violence on October 17 included looting of shops and attacks on their owners, while images widely circulated showing individuals in black clothing fleeing with stolen goods. Additionally, the historic city hall building in Limoges was set on fire.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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