PARIS — Major French cities went on alert this Saturday (31) for a possible wave of violence during Halloween night.
The coincidence of the third consecutive week of protests against the cost of living, calls for nighttime demonstrations, and the return of students to schools on Monday (2) led the French government to categorize the date as a very high risk to public safety.
The authorities fear that groups may take advantage of Halloween celebrations, traditionally marked by costumes and masks, to promote unauthorized demonstrations, clashes with police, vandalism, and looting.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez drew attention to a series of calls circulating on social networks with phrases such as “All masked, the whole night” and “Night of Darkness.” According to the government, some messages explicitly encourage acts of violence and insurrection from 8 p.m.
Faced with the possibility of new episodes of vandalism, the government prepared a national operation with 70,000 police officers, both civilian and military.
In Paris, measures include heightened security, removal of objects from the streets, closure of some metro stations, and restrictions on circulation in certain areas.
What is the “Night of Darkness”?
The expression “Night of Darkness” (nuit des ténèbres, in French) appeared in calls circulated on social networks for nocturnal gatherings in various French cities during Halloween.
According to reporting by the French newspaper Le Parisien, several profiles began calling for demonstrations from 8 p.m., in squares and urban centers across the country.
Some messages use Halloween as a reference to organize nighttime parades with participants in costume. Others explicitly mention revolution, insurrection, and looting and vandalism.
The Interior Minister warned mayors about the risk of spontaneous protests forming that occur outside the routes authorized by authorities.
French law provides penalties for those who voluntarily hide their faces during protests when there is a risk of public order disruption.
This does not mean costumes and masks are prohibited during Halloween celebrations. The restriction relates to the circumstances provided by the law and to the use of these items to facilitate acts of violence.
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The alert comes amid a sequence of demonstrations that began on October 17, initially driven by high school students dissatisfied with school conditions and later incorporating demands related to the cost of living and public services.
The mobilization gained national momentum and brought together students, workers, farmers, retirees, and members of the Yellow Vest movement.
In the first Saturday of protests, on October 17, the Interior Ministry estimated about 550,000 people across the country. The mobilization was accompanied by episodes of violence, vandalism, and looting of commercial establishments.
In the following week, on October 24, the government counted about 410,000 participants. Despite the drop in numbers, the day ended with 1,435 arrests, according to the balance presented by Nuñez.
For this Saturday (31), the government believes that the Halloween coincidence could prolong protests and increase the risk of clashes overnight.
Paris establishes a crisis center
The capital’s city hall activated a crisis management cell in coordination with the Police Prefecture, responsible for policing and maintaining public order in the capital.
The security scheme also prompted significant changes to Paris’s public transport.
At the request of the Police Prefecture, RATP scheduled the closure of more than 40 metro and RER stations over this Saturday (31), at different times.
Among the affected locations are important parts of the capital, such as Charles de Gaulle-Étoile, Concorde, Champs-Élysées-Clémenceau, Bastille, République, Opéra, and Châtelet-Les Halles.
