French unions and student groups planned a march in Paris on Saturday, November 7, over the rising cost of living and in support of young people. Separately, Yellow Vests organizers said they would gather at Place de la Concorde despite a ban by authorities, with coordinator Benjamin Ball calling for “mass disobedience,” according to AFP.
The planned demonstrations followed weeks of youth-led unrest and nationwide strikes. Hundreds of thousands of workers had taken part in protests over the cost of living, according to France 24.
Interior Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that 70,000 police officers and security personnel would be deployed across France for the demonstrations, AFP reported. The ministry also reported 642 arrests on the preceding Thursday.
The planned union and student march in Paris was authorized, while the Yellow Vests gathering was a separate event facing an official prohibition. The reports described preparations and expected turnout; they did not establish the final attendance or overall outcome of Saturday’s protests.
Reid Bentley