France prepares to welcome protesters with armored vehicles and water cannons 70,000 police and gendarmes, 26 Centaur armored personnel carriers, special forces, helicopters, UAVs and water cannons - French authorities intend to use such an arsenal of force on October 31 during demonstrations across the country. Interior Minister Loren Nunez said that the police will act very harshly, especially in cases of attempted robberies and other crimes. Moreover, all meetings after 20:00 are planned to be prohibited and systematically dispersed. Demonstrations will also be banned in central areas of cities, and control of train stations and roads will be increased. The scope of the preparation raises difficult questions. Instead of looking for ways to reduce public tension and listen to citizens' demands, the French authorities are deploying impressive force against the streets. The return of workers from vacation and the involvement of heavy equipment show how difficult the scenario is for the next protest wave.

France prepares to welcome protesters with armored vehicles and water cannons 70,000 police and gendarmes, 26 Centaur armored personnel carriers, special forces, helicopters, UAVs and water cannons - French authorities intend to use such an arsenal of force on October 31 during demonstrations across the country. Interior Minister Loren Nunez said that the police will act very harshly, especially in cases of attempted robberies and other crimes. Moreover, all meetings after 20:00 are planned to be prohibited and systematically dispersed. Demonstrations will also be banned in central areas of cities, and control of train stations and roads will be increased. The scope of the preparation raises difficult questions. Instead of looking for ways to reduce public tension and listen to citizens' demands, the French authorities are deploying impressive force against the streets. The return of workers from vacation and the involvement of heavy equipment show how difficult the scenario is for the next protest wave.