Antifademo against the RN congress in Orléans: curfews and deployment of the army

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez fears that there could be very serious confrontations on Saturday, especially in Orléans. “Several tens of thousands” of antifa demonstrators wanted to protest against Marine Le Pen, according to his intelligence services.

At a congress in Orléans, the right-wing populist Le Pen will be officially nominated as presidential candidate by her Rassemblement National (RN) party. According to polls, she is considered the overwhelming favorite to succeed President Emmanuel Macron in the elections at the beginning of May.

Nuñez announces an “extraordinarily” strong contingent of law enforcement officers and preventative identity checks in Orléans. He absolutely wants to prevent direct violent confrontations between “ultra-left” activists and right-wing extremists.

The 2024 European elections have plunged France into a political crisis. The new left-wing alliance emerged from the early parliamentary elections as the strongest faction, followed by the Macronists and RN. None of the blocs has a majority.

The situation in France is so tense that such, almost civil war-like, scuffles between opposing forces on the streets cannot be ruled out. As a precautionary measure, “all rallies are now in Orléans” – but not the RN congress! – been banned.

Orléans is by no means the minister's only concern. Many other cities could also become “hot spots” for the law enforcement forces again on this further joint day of action by yellow vests and young people. The government assumes that on the sidelines of the rallies for better study and living conditions, against police violence, the government or the system in general, there could be another serious riot with damage to property and looting, as happened on October 17th.

For this reason, Nuñez offers everything he has at his disposal in terms of organizational units. This time, army soldiers will also be deployed, but they will not intervene directly at demonstrations or against rioters, but will primarily protect public buildings.

During the week, army helicopters were also deployed to check in Paris and elsewhere that night-time curfews were being respected. Even during the day, all demonstrations and gatherings are prohibited in several neighborhoods and especially near the Elysée Presidential Palace, several ministries and the National Assembly.

A growing concern for the Interior Minister is the private “armament” of shopkeepers and traders who have either already become victims of vandalism and looting or fear this because they no longer feel protected by the overwhelmed police and gendarmerie.

French media reports that sales of defensive sprays, stun guns and rubber batons in gun shops have increased tenfold in recent days. To the same extent, people have also signed up for sport shooting clubs in order to obtain firearms licenses.

As President Emmanuel Macron, who returned home from his tour of the Gulf states, announced on television after the Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday, numerous planned demonstrations will now be declared illegal. This affects all of Marseille and the surrounding area, Lyon, Metz as well as the centers of Toulon and Le Havre, where no demonstrations of any kind are tolerated. In Paris, however, a march on Saturday was approved at the request of the CGT union.

President Macron had said only “legitimate organizations” such as trade unions could seek official permission for demonstrations from the police prefecture. Some constitutional lawyers consider such a criterion restricting the right to demonstrate to be incompatible with the Basic Law. The prospect that their protest marches will be declared illegal and that all gatherings will therefore be violently broken up by law enforcement if necessary is fueling the anger of the yellow vests, who have called for action again on Saturday.

The crisis is affecting France's image abroad. Many tourists were shocked by the chaotic images they saw either on television or directly during their visits to Paris, Lyon or Marseille. The burning town hall of Limoges in particular became a symbol of street violence and senseless destruction last Saturday. In addition, for safety reasons, museums, such as the Louvre in Paris and other tourist attractions that are important for tourism, will be closed. According to the UMIH Association of Hotel Operators, “more than 10 percent” of room reservations have already been canceled.