French police arrested 135 people during nationwide protests: Nunez
French police arrested 135 people across the country and seized a wide array of weapons during nationwide demonstrations, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced, as reported by ANI News.
National Rally Convention Sparks Protests in Orléans
Thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Orléans on Saturday to protest against the far-right National Rally party, which gathered for a two-day national congress ahead of Marine Le Pen’s presidential campaign launch. Local prefecture officials reported 11,000 protesters gathered in the city by noon, according to France 24 figures cited by ANI News. Marchers targeted both Marine Le Pen and President Emmanuel Macron, carrying banners opposing the far right during a key campaign event six months ahead of France’s presidential election.
“We have come to tell the far right, looking them straight in the eye, that we are not afraid,” Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko said. Bagayoko rejected suggestions that demonstrators sought to provoke violence, insisting they were defending freedom and democratic values while accusing the National Rally of spreading hateful rhetoric.
Curfews and Security Deployments Across French Cities
Authorities deployed nearly 3,000 police officers and gendarmes across Orléans, backed by armored vehicles, helicopters, and drones. Businesses boarded up their windows, public transport services were suspended, and Orléans Mayor Serge Grouard introduced a nighttime curfew for children under 15 during the weekend to prevent public order violations and reduce the risk of unrest, according to UA.News.
On Friday evening, police conducted an operation at a toll collection point in Orléans, seizing pétanque balls, a replica rifle, a hockey stick, and a knife, UA.News reported. Meanwhile, the government banned planned protests in Marseille and Lyon and closed major museums in Paris to prevent a repeat of violent street clashes seen during cost-of-living demonstrations a week earlier, according to ANI News.
Jordan Bardella was re-elected on Saturday as president of the National Rally during the congress at the Zénith arena in the Loiret prefecture, ANI News reported. The gathering culminates on Sunday with a major rally marking the launch of Marine Le Pen’s campaign for the 2027 presidential election.