France deploys 70,000 police for Halloween protests as retail losses top €1 billion

Seven in ten thousand police officers will stand watch across France on Saturday as authorities prepare for a new wave of demonstrations coinciding with the Halloween holiday. The deployment marks a substantial increase in security measures following two weeks of riots that left commercial districts damaged. Protesters are expected to march in approximately 150 locations nationwide, driven by grievances over the cost of living and public services.

The financial impact of the recent unrest is already substantial. The French Chamber of Commerce estimates that losses to retailers exceed one billion euros, or 1.1 billion dollars. Other assessments suggest the total cost could reach two billion euros when uninsured damage and lost revenue are included. Along major Parisian shopping boulevards, boarded windows and security grilles now surround early holiday decorations.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez outlined the security strategy at a press conference earlier this week. He stated that everyone is on deck to ensure an extremely firm response to any trouble. Nunez characterized the day as carrying a very high risk of unrest. He noted that laws already permit police to ban face coverings when public order is at risk, a provision authorities are monitoring closely given the Halloween timing.

France's top administrative court confirmed on Saturday that a planned march between the squares of Republique and Bastille will be banned. The court rejected a challenge filed by labor unions. Demonstrations are now required to take place on boulevards on the eastern fringe of the city. This routing places the crowds away from the central shopping areas that sustained heavy damage in previous days.

The protests have intensified since late September, coinciding with the launch of 2027 budget talks by President Emmanuel Macron's minority government. The state faces public debt approaching 120 percent of economic output and rising borrowing costs. Students, trade unions, and a re-emergent Yellow Vest movement have joined forces to demand action. Aaron Berthier de Grandry, a 15-year-old high school student in Nogent-sur-Marne, said that if young people lack resources, France will end up collapsing.

The movement has inspired similar youth-led demonstrations in more than 30 German cities on Saturday. In France, the unrest has provided a political boost to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who leads opinion polls ahead of the April presidential election. The government is also advancing a law that would make rioters liable for up to 10,000 euros in damage caused by themselves or their groups. Rights groups argue the measure risks undermining the right to peaceful protest.

Data released on Friday indicated that the French economy was shrinking in the third quarter. The US Embassy has advised travelers to avoid areas where large gatherings are planned. The government continues to push through its controversial liability law while maintaining its promise to reform education and ease fuel costs, despite ongoing discontent.