135 arrested during protests in France
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Pmnewsnigeria
French police arrested 135 people during demonstrations involving about 35,000 participants in more than 100 cities, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said. The authorities strengthened security arrangements after violence the previous weekend, while more than 2,700 arrests have been recorded since the unrest began, the BBC reports.
French police arrested 135 people during demonstrations held at more than 100 locations on Saturday 24 October, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said, according to Pmnewsnigeria. About 35,000 demonstrators had been counted by early afternoon, compared with 60,000 at the same time on the previous Saturday, according to figures reported by the BBC.
The authorities recorded 136 gatherings on Saturday morning, compared with 264 a week earlier. In Paris, the authorised march followed a route between Porte d’Italie and Porte de Vincennes, after the evacuation of Place de la Bastille. In Nantes, police used tear gas and water cannon after an alleged attempt to breach a prohibited perimeter.
The demonstrations expressed anger in particular over inequality and restrictions on gatherings. More than 2,700 people have been arrested since the unrest began, according to the figures cited by Pmnewsnigeria. Students interviewed by the BBC also said they were defending freedom of expression and the right to protest.
The gatherings took place after the announced deployment on 23 October of 70,000 police officers for the demonstrations. The previous day, the authorities had also announced the mobilisation of 70,000 personnel against violence.
