French minister says Halloween protests could turn violent

French authorities are preparing for further unrest during demonstrations planned for October 31 after protests across the country on Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Monday. The government deployed 70,000 police, and Nunez said 1,435 people were arrested. He also reported organized far-right groups confronting far-left activists in several cities. Business leaders said the unrest continued to hurt retailers, with sales down about 80 percent.

Unions called Saturday’s demonstrations to protest the high cost of living and public services, and the movement included trade unions and Yellow Vest activists.

Nunez said organized far-right groups arrived in formations in Nice and Montpellier, mainly to target the ultra-left movement.

Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon said protesters’ demands needed to be heard but that calm was a prerequisite for meaningful negotiations.

The government was expected to announce measures addressing student concerns about education and university admissions after a nationwide consultation.

Alain Di Crescenzo, head of the CCI France network, said many retailers had stayed closed as a precaution after the October 17 violence. He said sales had fallen by about 80 percent.

Published Oct 27, 2026 12:35 am KST

A protester holds a French flag during a demonstration against rising living costs in Lyon, France, Saturday. AP-Yonhap

PARIS — French authorities are bracing for more street unrest next weekend despite a huge security operation that helped contain nationwide demonstrations on Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Monday.

The protests, which have rattled President Emmanuel Macron's government for weeks, show little sign of easing after violence nine days ago engulfed dozens of cities, leading to fears the state had lost control of the streets.

In response to the turmoil, the interior ministry deployed 70,000 police for Saturday's demonstrations, which unions called to denounce the high cost of living and public services.

The movement has grown far beyond initial student discontent, drawing in trade unions and"yellow vest" activists, known for their high-visibility jackets and mass demonstrations against economic pressures including high fuel costs.

Far-right gangs confront far-left activists

Nunez said the huge police presence prevented a repeat of violence seen earlier this month, but asked by BFM TV on Monday whether he expected further disturbances during demonstrations planned for October 31, he replied: "Clearly, yes."

"Halloween evening is traditionally always a bit lively. We expect it to be complicated again," he added.

Nunez said 1,435 people were arrested nationwide during Saturday's demonstrations and said police had also recorded a new phenomenon, with organised far-right gangs confronting far-left activists in several cities.

"We knew there had been calls from numerous identity-based and nationalist movements to come out, officially, to defend businesses," he said. "In a number of cities, such as Nice and Montpellier, these groups arrived in organised formations, mainly to target the ultra-left movement."

The government sought to portray Saturday's operation as evidence it had regained the upper hand, despite sporadic violence, especially in France's three largest cities — Paris, Marseille and Lyon.

"The state prevailed this weekend. The state was strong," government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon told RTL radio.

She said protesters had raised legitimate grievances that needed to be heard, but added that restoring calm was a prerequisite for meaningful negotiations.

"There are demands that must be heard and answered. To answer them, there is a prerequisite: a return to calm. We cannot have a functioning social dialogue in a climate of violence such as the one we experienced a week ago," she said.

The government was expected later on Monday to announce measures aimed at addressing student concerns over education and university admissions, after a nationwide consultation with high school and university students.

With his presidential mandate due to expire in April and public finances under severe strain, Macron has limited scope to defuse the crisis through the costly concessions that helped quell previous waves of unrest.

On Monday he made an unannounced visit to the port city of Marseille, which saw the worst of the unrest on Saturday.

Business leaders said the unrest was continuing to inflict heavy economic damage despite a calmer weekend.

Alain Di Crescenzo, head of the CCI France network of chambers of commerce and industry, said many retailers had remained closed as a precaution after the violence of October 17, adding that sales had fallen by about 80 percent.

"We have shopkeepers who are tired and demoralised, and we are killing local commerce," he told Radio Classique.

法国内政部长洛朗·努内兹周一表示，继周六全国各地爆发抗议活动后，法国当局正为10月31日计划举行的示威活动可能引发的进一步动荡做准备。政府已部署7万名警察，努内兹称已有1435人被捕。他还报告称，在多个城市，有组织的极右翼团体与极左翼活动人士发生冲突。商界领袖表示，动荡局势持续冲击零售商，销售额下降约80%。

工会号召周六举行示威活动，抗议高昂的生活成本和公共服务，该运动包括工会和“黄背心”运动积极分子。

努涅斯表示，有组织的极右翼团体成群结队地抵达尼斯和蒙彼利埃，主要目的是针对极左翼运动。

政府发言人莫德·布雷根表示，抗议者的诉求需要被倾听，但保持冷静是进行有意义谈判的先决条件。

政府在进行全国范围的咨询后，预计将宣布解决学生对教育和大学招生问题的措施。

法国工商会（CCI France）负责人阿兰·迪·克雷森佐表示，10月17日暴力事件发生后，许多零售商出于谨慎考虑一直处于关门状态。他说，销售额下降了约80%。

发布于2026年10月27日凌晨12:35（韩国标准时间）

周六，在法国里昂，一名抗议者手持法国国旗，参加反对生活成本上涨的示威活动。美联社-韩联社

巴黎——法国内政部长洛朗·努内兹周一表示，尽管周六开展了大规模安全行动以控制全国范围内的示威活动，但法国当局仍在为下周末可能发生的更多街头骚乱做准备。

持续数周的抗议活动令法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙的政府感到不安，九天前暴力事件席卷数十座城市，引发人们担心国家已经失去对街头的控制，而抗议活动至今仍未见缓和迹象。

为应对骚乱，内政部部署了 7 万名警察应对周六的示威活动。工会呼吁民众举行示威，抗议高昂的生活成本和公共服务。

这场运动已经远远超出了最初学生的不满，吸引了工会和“黄背心”运动人士的参与，他们以高能见度夹克和反对包括高油价在内的经济压力的大规模示威活动而闻名。

极右翼团伙与极左翼活动人士发生冲突

努涅斯表示，大量的警力部署阻止了本月早些时候发生的暴力事件再次发生。但周一，当BFM电视台问他是否预计在10月31日计划举行的示威活动中会发生进一步的骚乱时，他回答说：“显然，是的。”

“万圣节之夜历来都比较热闹。我们预计今年的情况也会比较复杂，”他补充道。

努涅斯表示，周六的示威活动中，全国共有 1435 人被捕。他还表示，警方记录到一种新的现象，即有组织的极右翼团伙在几个城市与极左翼活动人士发生冲突。

他说：“我们知道许多基于身份认同和民族主义的运动都呼吁正式站出来捍卫企业。在尼斯和蒙彼利埃等一些城市，这些团体组织有序地抵达现场，主要目标是极左翼运动。”

尽管零星暴力事件时有发生，尤其是在法国三大城市——巴黎、马赛和里昂，但政府仍试图将周六的行动描绘成其重新占据上风的证据。

“本周末，州政府取得了胜利。州政府实力很强，”政府发言人莫德·布雷根告诉RTL电台。

她表示，抗议者提出的诉求合情合理，需要得到倾听，但她补充说，恢复平静是进行有意义谈判的先决条件。

“有些诉求必须被倾听和回应。而回应这些诉求的前提是：恢复平静。在像一周前那样充满暴力的氛围下，我们无法进行有效的社会对话，”她说道。

政府预计将于周一晚些时候宣布旨在解决学生对教育和大学招生问题的措施，此前政府已就此与全国高中生和大学生进行了磋商。

由于马克龙的总统任期将于 4 月到期，且公共财政面临严重压力，他通过代价高昂的让步来化解危机的空间有限，而这些让步曾帮助平息了之前的几波动乱。

周一，他突然造访了港口城市马赛，该市在周六的骚乱中遭受了最严重的打击。

商界领袖表示，尽管周末局势有所缓和，但动荡局势仍在持续造成严重的经济损失。

法国工商会 (CCI France) 主席阿兰·迪·克雷森佐 (Alain Di Crescenzo) 表示，10 月 17 日的暴力事件发生后，许多零售商出于谨慎起见仍然关门歇业，并补充说，销售额下降了约 80%。

“我们的店主们疲惫不堪，士气低落，我们正在扼杀本地商业，”他告诉古典音乐电台。