France Deploys 70,000 Security Personnel Ahead of New Protests

France is preparing for a new day of protests over rising living costs, amid a widespread security deployment announced by the government that will include approximately 70,000 police and gendarmes on Saturday to secure expected demonstrations across the country.

This mobilization coincides with calls to organize new protest movements, while authorities express concern about the lack of specific routes for marches and the potential movement of small groups away from security forces' oversight.

Rapid Response Plan
The French Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, confirmed that authorities will adopt the same security measures applied during last Saturday's protests, maintaining a plan characterized by flexibility and rapid intervention capability.

He explained that the security deployment will be adjusted according to the movements of groups considered by authorities as sources of danger, particularly those that split into small groups in an attempt to avoid monitoring by security forces and evade their tracking.

According to a source in the French police, security agencies expect between 30,000 and 60,000 demonstrators to participate in the capital, Paris.

The source indicated that estimates include between 300 and 600 people classified by authorities within categories that may pose a risk during the protests.

These expectations come after last Saturday's demonstrations, which authorities said attracted around 146,000 participants across France, including 46,000 people in Paris.

Those movements recorded a decline in participant numbers compared to previous demonstrations, according to official figures.

Authorities' Concerns
Nuñez expressed his concern over unions not announcing specific routes for the marches scheduled for Saturday, considering that the absence of clear organization increases the difficulty of handling the movements securely.

The Minister of the Interior stated that this situation raises greater concern for authorities because it means the demonstrations will not be subject to organized supervision, and responsibility for managing them will fall on student unions and representatives of high school students, whom he described as less experienced in organizing such movements.

Nuñez anticipated the emergence of between 50 and 60 protest marches across the country throughout the day.

In light of these preparations, the French Minister of the Interior emphasized the readiness of security forces to deal with any disturbances that may accompany the demonstrations.

Nuñez confirmed that security agencies are prepared to confront groups that may resort to violence or theft during the protests, saying: "We are fully prepared to face rioters and thieves."

These warnings coincide with tens of thousands preparing to take to the streets in protest against the cost of living, at a time when authorities seek to secure the marches and deal with any groups attempting to bypass security procedures.