France has mobilized some 70,000 security forces for planned protests on October 31. Authorities expect demonstrations in Paris and several other cities, including evening gatherings, which the interior ministry said were called for after 8 p.m.
“October 31 is a day with a very high risk for public order,“ Interior Minister Laurent Nunes said. He warned that security forces would respond “extremely tough” to attempts at violence and destruction. Authorities have identified social media posts calling for masked gatherings during Halloween.
Restrictions in Paris
In the capital, more than 40 metro stations will be closed and tram traffic will be restricted. A night curfew will be in place in the Republique and Châtelet-les-Halls districts from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on the nights of November 1 and 2.
The Paris police prefecture initially banned the planned march between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation, but the administrative court overturned the ban. Authorities had insisted that the protests be moved outside the city center after the riots and looting on October 17.
More than 1,000 Paris municipal employees will be mobilized to clean public spaces. Some shops in the capital and other cities have already protected their windows with wooden panels.
New wave after protests in France and Italy
The demonstrations in France began with demands for better conditions in schools, more public funds and measures against price increases. They were later joined by unions and activists of the yellow vest movement. On October 24, about 410,000 people protested in France, according to the French Interior Ministry.
The events also affected Italy, where on October 24, thousands of young people took to the streets of Milan, Rome and Turin. In Milan, the government sent 500 more soldiers, bringing the total number of police and other security personnel to around 5,000. The march in Milan ended peacefully, but there were brief clashes in Rome and Turin.
Germany expects protests in dozens of cities
In Germany, the youth movement “Gen Z regelt“ has called for demonstrations on October 31 in more than 30 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich. Organizers expect more than 160,000 participants, while earlier estimates had put the number at over 100,000 in at least 23 cities.
The demands include investment in education, a lower cost of living, social justice, action on climate change and criticism of the proposed return of compulsory military service. The initiators say they oppose violence.
The German police have announced that they will protect the right to peaceful assembly. Andreas Roskopf, head of the German federal police union, warned that in case of unrest there will be a "firm and decisive reaction". Sociologist Sebastian Koos of the University of Konstanz told Deutsche Welle that he does not expect the scale of violence in Germany to be comparable to that in France, as the protests are registered and organized as peaceful.
Sources: afp.com, amp.dw.com, investing.com