PARIS, Oct 31 — France today braced for a third weekend of protests coinciding with Halloween, as shops boarded up and authorities scrambled to prevent a repeat of the street violence that swept the country two weeks ago.
The demonstrations come in an increasingly febrile political climate, with presidential elections 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 be deployed on Saturday, matching the number mobilised a week ago, as authorities seek to avert a repeat of the October 17 unrest.
