France will deploy about 70,000 police around the country on Saturday. The government wants to prevent more unrest after some of the worst street violence in years erupted on the fringes of cost-of-living protests last weekend.
The interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, said on Friday that security forces would include elite units usually used for counter-terrorism operations and hostage rescues. He added that there had been social media calls for violence from ultra-left groups.
"We are not talking about a peaceful, friendly demonstration," Nuñez told reporters after a meeting of senior ministers and officials chaired by the president, Emmanuel Macron. "We are ready tomorrow to be extremely firm and not tolerate anything."
Macron and his government are struggling to handle a crisis that caught them off guard six months before presidential elections to choose a successor. The government has admitted it lost control over widespread rioting on Saturday.
"We will be uncompromising with rioters, looters and all who commit violence," Nuñez said. He added that besides 10,000 more police, the operation would include water cannon, armoured vehicles, mounted police, helicopters and drones.
Demonstrations are expected in several other countries this weekend. A broader, continent-wide wave of discontent has been triggered by declining public services, housing affordability, public sector budget cuts and the spiralling cost of living.
Protests over related grievances have been called for Saturday in Milan, Rome and Turin in Italy; in Vienna, Austria; and in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities in Spain, as well as in Lisbon and Porto in Portugal, Dublin in Ireland and Tirana in Albania.
Protests are expected across France on Saturday, although several cities have banned demonstrations or forced them to change their planned routes to protect shops and public buildings. Authorities also forecast heavy rain and high winds could dampen turnout.
The centres of Lyon and some other large cities will be off-limits to protesters. Authorities in Paris authorised a union march along a limited route in the east of the capital between the Places de la Bastille and Nation that will avoid the city centre.
Requests for rallies in Paris organised by France main student union, UNEF, and the gilets jaunes movement were refused. UNEF said its rallies, which grew from high school protests last month against teacher shortages and dilapidated facilities, would go ahead regardless. Several of the best-known cultural institutions in Paris, including the Louvre, said they would close on Saturday.
