With France’s next major protest planned for Oct. 24, the government has decided to send the military into the streets, with soldiers preparing to help police control any unrest.
The government announced on Tuesday that it would reinforce police forces with soldiers and carry out a massive security operation ahead of protests planned for Saturday. The authorities also admitted that they made mistakes in their response to last weekend’s violence.
“Saturday’s mobilization of forces will be massive,” said Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, adding that the immediate priority was to restore order after a wave of riots and looting swept through Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities on Oct. 17.
⚠️🔴 À REGARDER JUSQU’À LA FIN
JE NE PEUX PAS DÉCRIRE CE QUE JE VIENS DE VIVRE À MARSEILLE.
#17octobre https://t.co/F8bLimtd7y
— confrontation française (@confrontfr) October 17, 2026During moments of heated debate, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that the military would be deployed alongside the police. Nuñez had previously offered his resignation to French President Emmanuel Macron in response to security failures, but Macron rejected this offer. The government also pledged to completely change tactics after a wave of criticism that city centers were left without proper protection.
Presenting the crisis as a choice “between violence and the Republic,” Lecornu blamed far-left groups for the unrest.
The largest mass demonstrations in France in years took place on Saturday, Oct. 17. According to the authorities, around 550,000 people participated in the protests, and according to the organizers, over 800,000.
In Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities, there were clashes with police, looting of shops and arson. In Limoges, the historic town hall building was set on fire, with the roof and tower collapsing. The police detained over 2,400 people. Authorities have introduced night curfews in selected areas of Paris, Lyon and other cities.
🇫🇷🔴 JUST IN: The entire roof of the Limoges City Hall has collapsed after an arson attack during ongoing riots in France.
Due to the catastrophic damage, this beautiful piece of European architecture is unlikely ever to be restored.
Follow: @RMXnews https://t.co/AbqDbP3GIq
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 17, 2026
