PARIS: Shops and businesses in Paris and other French cities boarded up windows on Friday amid fears of fresh street violence during a third consecutive weekend of protests -- this time clashing with Halloween.
Authorities have said face-covering masks will not be allowed at the demonstrations that come in an increasingly febrile political climate, with presidential elections just six months away and far-right leader Marine Le Pen leading opinion polls.
President Emmanuel Macron this week said it was “not normal” for France to be in such a state of “turmoil” so close to a presidential election.
Around 70,000 security personnel will again be deployed on Saturday as authorities seek to prevent a repeat of Oct 17 unrest when thousands of businesses were damaged or looted.
More than 40 Paris metro stations will be closed and tram services will also be disrupted.
An aide to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said street violence on a scale “comparable” to the unrest two weeks ago was expected. Images of clashes, looted shops and public buildings set ablaze were broadcast around the world.
“There are concerns about acts of vandalism and attempted looting,” the aide said.
A police source pointed to “considerable nervousness” among authorities.
“There is no reason to think this will go smoothly,” the source said.
Alain Di Crescenzo, president of France’s chamber of commerce, said businesses were worried.
“Shopkeepers can’t wait for Saturday to be over,” Di Crescenzo told a broadcaster.
“The information we have is that Halloween is not helping matters, because we’re going to have people wearing masks.”
Nunez warned of a “very high risk of public disorder”, saying demonstrations would be allowed, but not in city centres.
The Paris police prefecture tried to prevent demonstrators from marching between Bastille and Nation in eastern Paris, but a court overturned the ban.
The interior minister said authorities had detected social media calls for Halloween gatherings urging protesters to spark a “revolution”.
Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2026
