France cracks down as protests sweep country, many held

PARIS, Oct 24: French police arrested more than 130 people and fired tear gas at some protesters on Saturday as fresh demonstrations started, but the government said there were no early signs of the street violence that marred protests last weekend.

Authorities deployed 70,000 security forces across the country as nationwide marches were held against the cost of living.

"There has been no major incident" as of midday (1000 GMT), Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, adding: "We will not tolerate any violence or any disturbance of public order."

Protesters' anger has been stirred further by President Emmanuel Macron's government banning non-union-led demonstrations. Several groups slammed what they called an attack on the right to protest.

Macron has blamed "ultra-left" groups wanting to "bring down the republic" for the worst of last weekend's violence, when public buildings were vandalised and hundreds of shops looted.

After being caught flatfooted by that unrest, police this time had armoured vehicles, helicopters and water cannon ready to respond to the slightest provocation.

"The police are really mobile... They come and disperse marches before they even form," said a 21-year-old student in Lyon, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Police in Lyon fired tear gas to disperse about 150 protesters near the city center who had tried to block a road, an AFP journalist saw.

Nunez said 135 people had been arrested as of midday Saturday.

He added that weapons including metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana sword and airsoft weapons had been confiscated.

"These seizures clearly demonstrate the determination of certain far-left and radical left-wing groups to turn a number of demonstrations violent," he said.

The minister spoke as the main march in Paris started. Police at the last minute changed the route from central Paris to the southern rim of the capital.

Murielle Guilbert of the SyndicaleSolidaires union said it had been "outrageous" to ban non-union protests.

"We're here because there is obvious public anger" over low salaries, she said.

The march started in a calm and festive atmosphere.

Claire, a 26-year-old nurse who did not want to give a last name, said: "Not everyone is out to smash things up. Some of us are simply here to say we disagree and that we just want a better future."�" AFP