France is mobilizing 70,000 police officers and gendarmes for nationwide protests on November 5, the Interior Ministry said, as unions and rights groups challenge restrictions on demonstrations. Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the deployment on Wednesday. AFP reported that major unions called the strike to defend wages and jobs, while authorities expect more than 220 public actions.
The ministry says routes must avoid sensitive locations and some city centres, particularly where incidents occurred on October 17. Organizers must provide adequate stewarding. It says local decisions reflect identified risks and that officers will protect authorized marches through to their conclusion. The deployment repeats the security arrangements used on October 31.
In Paris, authorities rejected the unions’ proposed Bastille-to-Concorde route and authorized a République-to-Nation march instead. Le Monde reported that the administrative court upheld the alternative on Wednesday evening, finding it neither unsuitable nor disproportionate. Nuñez said the original route posed security risks; the unions had taken their objections to court.
Separately, a November 4 joint statement published by the Ligue des droits de l’Homme said seven organizations were asking the Council of State to arrange judicial duty sessions enabling effective appeals. They allege that last-minute bans leave insufficient time to challenge restrictions. The signatories include the CGT, FSU and Solidaires unions, lawyers and student representatives.
The groups also accuse the government of using individual anti-terrorism controls to stop activists reaching protests. These are allegations in their statement. The ministry says its priority is peaceful marches and preventing violence. In an October 23 ruling, the Council of State said protest bans must be necessary and proportionate, based on each gathering’s risks. Thursday’s marches proceed amid this dispute over security and civil liberties.
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