French Police Use Tear Gas and Arrest Dozens as Cost-of-Living Protests Continue for a Second Weekend

French police detained dozens of people and fired tear gas at some demonstrators on Saturday as authorities tightened security in major cities. The aim was to avoid a repeat of last weekend's unrest during nationwide protests over the high cost of living. A large turnout was expected again, after more than half a million people took part the previous week.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 135 people had been arrested and a range of weapons seized. They included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, a katana and airsoft weapons. He added that so far "there has been no major incident" in the country. He had earlier said up to 70,000 officers would be deployed, backed by helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons.

In Lyon, where demonstrations had been banned, about 150 protesters near the city center briefly tried to block a road, and police used tear gas to disperse them. A 21-year-old student who spoke to Agence France-Presse anonymously said officers were "really mobile." "They come and disperse marches before they even form," the student said.

In Orleans, thousands marched against a congress held by Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, where she is launching her bid to succeed Emmanuel Macron as president. Elections are six months away, and surveys show Le Pen is best placed to win. Marchers targeted both leaders, chanting "Macron resign. Le Pen in prison," according to AFP. Police counted 11,000 participants, while organizers said 26,000. About 50 groups, including unions, left-wing parties and student organizations, had called the protest. French media reported it ended peacefully early in the afternoon, and the congress is expected to run through Sunday.

Authorities described the mood in Paris as "calm" as hundreds gathered at the Porte d'Italie for the city's only authorized march. It was originally planned for the Bastille, but police moved it at the last minute to the more remote southeastern edge of the city. Union organizers said they accepted the change reluctantly. Union representative Murielle Guilbert called it "scandalous" that Macron had barred protesters from demonstrating "where we wish to demonstrate," adding that wages have still not risen to the level they should. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it was "normal for people to be angry."

The unrest has disrupted daily life and events in the capital. Major museums are closed and many businesses are boarded up. Art Basel opened Friday for one day only, with organizers cancelling the weekend program. The first NFL game in France, between the New Orleans Saints and another team, is still scheduled for Sunday, though some related venues were shut Saturday. A Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais soccer match planned for Sunday has been moved to Monday night. Around 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted last weekend.

The protests began last month when high school students in the southeast of Paris demonstrated for better conditions, and widened as people demanded relief from rising living costs. The Yellow Vests, who emerged about eight years ago to stage disruptive protests against Macron, said they will hold more demonstrations on Oct. 31. They plan rallies and a sit-in outside parliament and city halls, condemning the "authoritarian drift" of the government.

Unrest also spread elsewhere in Europe. Italy sent additional soldiers to Milan after looting and clashes a week earlier, and Premier Giorgia Meloni announced tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up much of the violent crowd. In Tirana, Albania, riot police used water cannons on student protesters demanding lower tuition and an end to corruption in education. Thousands of retirees marched in Madrid over pensions, and a housing protest was expected in Lisbon.