France arrests 135 as 70,000 police guard second week of price protests

French police arrested 135 people on Saturday during the second weekend of nationwide protests against high living costs. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the detentions and the seizure of various weapons. The equipment removed from demonstrators included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, airsoft guns, and a katana. Nuñez stated that there had been no major incidents in the country so far.

Authorities deployed up to 70,000 officers to maintain order. These forces were supported by helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. The heavy deployment aimed to prevent a repeat of the violence seen the previous week. More than 500,000 people took to the streets during the first round of demonstrations.

In Paris, police moved the city's only authorized march to the Porte d'Italie in the southeastern edge of the city. The event was originally scheduled for Bastille. Union organizers accepted the last-minute change reluctantly. Murielle Guilbert, a union representative, called the move scandalous. She noted that President Emmanuel Macron had barred protesters from demonstrating where they wished. Guilbert added that wages have not risen to the level they should be.

Hundreds of people gathered at the new location. Authorities described the mood as calm. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it was normal for people to be angry about the current economic situation. The shift in location kept the main group away from the central areas that saw heavy damage last week.

Unrest also appeared in Lyon, where demonstrations had been banned. About 150 protesters near the city center briefly blocked a road. Police used tear gas to disperse the group. A 21-year-old student who spoke to Agence France-Presse anonymously described the officers as really mobile. The student noted that police came and dispersed marches before they even formed.

In Orleans, thousands marched against a congress held by Marine Le Pen's National Rally party. Le Pen is using the event to launch her bid to succeed Emmanuel Macron as president. Elections are six months away, and surveys show Le Pen is in the best position to win. Marchers chanted for Macron to resign and for Le Pen to go to prison. Police counted 11,000 participants, while organizers claimed the number reached 26,000. About 50 groups, including unions, left-wing parties, and student organizations, called for the protest. French media reported the march ended peacefully early in the afternoon.

The protests have disrupted daily life in the capital and other cities. Major museums in Paris are closed, and many businesses have boarded up their windows. Art Basel opened on Friday for one day only and canceled its weekend program. The first NFL game in France, involving the New Orleans Saints, remains scheduled for Sunday, though some related venues were shut on Saturday. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, planned for Sunday, has been moved to Monday night.

Approximately 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend. The unrest began last month when high school students in the southeast of Paris demonstrated for better conditions. The movement widened as people demanded relief from rising living costs. The Yellow Vests, who emerged about eight years ago to protest against Macron, plan more demonstrations on Oct. 31. They intend to hold rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, condemning the authoritarian drift of the government.

Similar unrest has spread to other parts of Europe. Italy sent additional soldiers to Milan after looting and clashes a week earlier. Premier Giorgia Meloni announced tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up much of the violent crowd. In Tirana, Albania, riot police used water cannons on student protesters demanding lower tuition and an end to corruption in education. Thousands of retirees marched in Madrid over pensions, and a housing protest was expected in Lisbon.