Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – Urban violence on a scale "comparable" to that of October 17, when thousands of businesses were damaged or looted, is the alarm coming from France, where new protests considered "high risk" are planned for today, according to a source at the French Interior Ministry quoted by AFP.
“We expect episodes of urban violence similar to those of October 17, both during the day on Saturday and after nightfall,” declared an aide to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, defining the day as “high risk.”
“There are fears of vandalism and attempted looting,” the same source added, emphasizing that today is considered a “very high risk of public order disruption.”
Around 70 police officers and gendarmes were mobilized, as had already happened on October 24, which had not seen any significant incidents, unlike October 17.
There is a "significant risk" of "violent acts" being committed during the new day of demonstrations in France, "especially in the evening, coinciding with Halloween," French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said yesterday, reiterating his call to prosecutors to take a firm stance on the eve of another day of social unrest feared by the authorities.
In a note to prosecutors, the Minister of Justice emphasized "the need to maintain a firm and rapid criminal response" in the face of "the significant risk of acts of violence being committed on October 31, 2026, especially in the evening."
As he had done during the previous days of protests, Darmanin reiterated his call for additional sanctions in the event of a conviction: blocking the use of social media or a ban on protests. "Public incitement to violence, particularly on social media, must be subject to particular vigilance in its judicial treatment, making use of existing social media blocking mechanisms," Darmanin wrote in a statement.
"Identified perpetrators of acts of violence against law enforcement, intrusions into or damage to public buildings, arson, and looting will be brought before a judge after arrest and tried through immediate appearance proceedings, or as part of a judicial investigation for more serious or complex crimes," the statement continues. "Minors will be tried with the same speed and firmness as for more serious crimes, without neglecting to hold those exercising parental authority accountable," it states. "Particular attention must be paid to informing the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office" in "particularly serious cases," the statement concludes.
There are "calls for looting and violence," "extremely worrying calls, using terms related to insurrection and revolution," French Interior Minister Nuñez declared on the eve of the new demonstrations. "We are firmly determined to confront such gatherings, should they take place," the minister added, quoted by Bfmtv.
Nuñez then announced that "checks will be organized along the main roads, in stations, and along the railway network; there will be checks everywhere." The goal is to "conduct searches and seize objects that could be used as weapons" during the demonstrations. This is to "deter anyone who might want to come and cause trouble," he added.
international/foreign
webinfo@adnkronos.com (Web Info)