Paris [France], October 24 (ANI): French police have arrested 135 people across the country and seized a wide array of weapons during nationwide demonstrations, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said as the far-right National Rally party launched its party convention in Orléans, south of Paris, which attracted both supporters and counterprotesters.
France24 reported that Minister Nunez, speaking on the security situation, stated that "there has been no major incident" so far, while Paris police described the capital’s midday atmosphere as "calm."
Authorities confirmed that confiscated items included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, airsoft guns, and a Japanese katana sword, France24 noted.
The security crackdown comes as thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Orléans to protest a two-day convention held by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party (Rassemblement National). The city became the central focus of Saturday's mobilisations, with local prefecture officials reporting 11,000 protesters gathered by noon, according to France24.
Marchers in Orléans targeted both Marine Le Pen and President Emmanuel Macron, chanting slogans and carrying banners opposing the far right during what serves as a key campaign event for Le Pen six months ahead of France’s presidential election.
The demonstration brought together a broad coalition including left-wing party leaders, trade unions, student groups, activists, and non-governmental organisations such as Amnesty International, according to France24.
Jordan Bardella was re-elected on Saturday as president of the National Rally (Rassemblement National) during the congress in Orléans.
The gathering kicked off shortly before 3 PM at the Zénith arena in the Loiret prefecture, where thousands of party delegates and activists gathered to show their support, chanting "Marine for President," France 24 reported.
Several peaceful protests are underway across France, as thousands of demonstrators march in the cities of Marseille, Lyon and Lille with reports of clashes between police and protestors in the city of Lyon.
The rallies mark a continuation of protests triggered over a month ago by students protesting high school conditions, teacher shortages, school day schedules, and educational inequality between public and private systems, France24 reported.
The student-led movement has since expanded into a wider national mobilisation incorporating trade unions, civil society groups, and the "Yellow Vests" movement, following violent street clashes seen during cost-of-living demonstrations a week earlier.
President Emmanuel Macron convened a meeting of his defence council, comprising senior ministers and officials, amid the escalating crisis. He was also scheduled to meet security forces as authorities stepped up preparations for the weekend demonstrations, according to France24.
French authorities have also banned planned protests in Marseille and Lyon and closed major museums in Paris ahead of fresh demonstrations on Saturday, as the government steps up security measures to prevent a repeat of last week's violent unrest.
This comes amid high tensions as a coalition of the “Yellow Vests” movement, trade unions and students will march on Saturday with demands over study conditions and purchasing power. France 24 reported.
French left-wing leaders and protest organisers have criticised a last-minute change to the route of a planned demonstration in Paris, vowing to follow the original route despite the police order, as authorities brace for fresh unrest across the country.
As per France 24, the Paris police prefecture changed the route of Saturday's planned march from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation, scheduled to begin at 1 pm (local time), to a new route from Porte d'Italie to Porte de Vincennes at 7 pm.
The decision triggered strong objections from opposition leaders and trade unions, who warned that the change could create confusion and complicate security arrangements.
Marine Tondelier, leader of the Ecologists, expressed concern over the decision in a post on X, questioning whether police would consider people gathering at Bastille to be participating in an unauthorised demonstration.
“I am very concerned about Saturday’s demonstration,” Tondelier said, describing the situation as “very problematic and dangerous” in view of the violence witnessed last weekend.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France insoumise, also criticised the move, saying, “Once again, those in power are trying to disrupt the marches and impose impossible deadlines for reorganisation.”
Karl Ghazi, co-secretary general of a local CGT union, described the newly imposed route as “impossible to secure”. He said unions and police had agreed on the Bastille-to-Nation route on Thursday. Organisers maintained that they would proceed to Bastille as originally planned, despite the authorities' decision.
Additionally, European security agencies have been placed on high alert after Spanish authorities uncovered jihadist calls urging extremists to launch suicide bombings and vehicle attacks against police and demonstrators during widespread economic protests across Europe, according to a report by Euronews citing El País.
The Portuguese Internal Security System (SSI) confirmed it is "closely monitoring" the threat. In a statement issued to the Lusa news agency, the agency noted, "The Secretary General of the Internal Security System is closely monitoring the situation mentioned [jihadist calls for attacks against police and demonstrators] within the scope of her responsibilities and in constant coordination with the relevant authorities."
As detailed by El País, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior flagged messages published on a platform allegedly tied to the self-proclaimed Islamic State. The posts urged followers to carry out attacks against police officers and crowds attending demonstrations that have flared up in recent weeks across countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy, Euronews reported.
The report by El País cites an internal document from Spain's Cybersecurity Coordination Office revealing instructions that encourage extremists to exploit crowded demonstrations and public clashes to launch violent acts.
According to the analysis, the sheer scale of the demonstrations, especially in France, where turnout topped 800,000 individuals last weekend, presents "a rare opportunity to attack them" while rendering law enforcement "easy prey when there are skirmishes with protesters".
In Portugal and Spain, public anger over the rising cost of living and acute housing shortages has fueled daily demonstrations and protest encampments across major urban centres, including Lisbon, Porto, and Madrid, Euronews reported.
India has, meanwhile, advised its nationals in France, Italy and Belgium to remain vigilant and stay away from areas affected by protests, as its missions in the three countries continue to monitor developments and maintain contact with the Indian community.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, urged Indian nationals to adhere to advisories issued by local authorities.
“We have our missions in France, Italy and Belgium. They are closely following the developments there. They are in regular touch with the community members. Indian nationals in these countries where protests are happening are advised to remain vigilant and exercise due caution when they are moving out and also to avoid areas where protests are happening. They must also follow local advisories which are being issued by the government,” Jaiswal said.
On Wednesday, the Indian Embassy in France issued a travel and safety advisory, urging Indian nationals and those planning to travel to the Western European country to remain vigilant after protests over the rising cost of living led to violent clashes.
Protests initially led by high school students over learning conditions have widened amid growing concerns over the cost of living. The government has also imposed restrictions in several areas, banned planned demonstrations in Marseille and Lyon, and closed major museums in Paris.
President Emmanuel Macron has called for “utmost severity” against delinquency and accused far-left groups of undermining the republic. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said courts had sentenced 217 people, around half of them first-time offenders, to prison in connection with last week's violence. (ANI)
French police arrest 135 people amid protests as far-right National Rally opens congress in Orléans
