France to deploy around 70,000 security personnel as protests coincide with Halloween

France braced on Saturday, 31 October 2026, for a third weekend of nationwide protests. The day coincides with Halloween.

Around 70,000 security personnel were to be deployed. That matches the number mobilised a week earlier. Authorities aim to avoid a repeat of the street violence that erupted on 17 October.

Some shops and businesses across France boarded up their storefronts. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned this week of a very high risk of unrest or public disorder. Some raised concern that people wearing Halloween masks could complicate security.

The protests are linked to anger over the cost of living. According to France 24, they are also driven by anger over public services and President Emmanuel Macron's government.

Measures in Paris

According to The Hindu, more than 40 Paris metro stations were to close and tram services would be disrupted. A curfew was to apply in the Republique and Chatelet-Les Halles areas from 23:00 to 06:00 on 31 October and 1 November. The Hindu reports that the Paris police prefecture tried to ban a march between Bastille and Nation, but a court overturned the ban.

On 29 October, Nunez said demonstrations would be allowed, but not in city centres, The Hindu reports. He said protesters could not wear masks concealing their faces. He also said authorities had detected social media calls for Halloween gatherings urging a "revolution". Separately, some social media posts called on people to dress up and gather for a "night of darkness", The Hindu reports.

Background

According to The Hindu, authorities have acknowledged security and intelligence failures before the 17 October clashes, looting and vandalism. The reports do not describe those failures. The movement includes Yellow Vest activists, trade unions and students. It first focused on living costs, inequality and learning conditions. The Hindu reports it broadened its demands to civil liberties and the right to protest after a security clampdown and serious injuries to some protesters.

France holds a presidential election in six months. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen leads opinion polls, according to The Hindu.

What is disputed

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe contested facts. Documented disagreements include a legal one, the court ruling against the march ban, and the dispute between authorities restricting demonstrations and a movement demanding the right to protest.

What each side says

Nunez told a news conference that "Everyone is on deck to ensure an extremely firm response to any trouble", according to France 24. An aide expected violence "comparable" to 17 October, according to The Hindu. An unnamed police source said: "There is no reason to think this will go smoothly". Macron said such "turmoil" was "not normal" so close to an election.

Chamber of commerce president Alain Di Crescenzo told France Inter: "Shopkeepers can't wait for Saturday to be over", France 24 reports. A Paris costume shop manager, Didier Jarsale, said: "We're not here to act as police officers".

The reports do not include responses from protest organisers. Both were published before the protests and do not describe events on the day.

Analysis

The weekend tests whether a large security deployment and targeted restrictions can contain unrest without further straining the right to protest, which the movement now lists among its demands. A court overturning a march ban shows that legal checks on such restrictions remain active. If the day passes calmly, authorities may cite the measures as effective; if violence recurs, questions about the intelligence failures they acknowledged may grow. With a presidential election six months away, how the government and the protest movement are perceived could shape the political debate. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi appear to share one unnamed origin, so independent confirmation remains limited.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.