Macron announces firm measures to prevent further violence in France

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will present firm measures to prevent further violence linked to anti-government protests, following incidents that occurred a week ago in several French cities. Macron nevertheless warned that the following weekend could again be marked by clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.

The statement was made in Marseille, where the head of state said he had asked the government to also respond to the demands considered justified, which lie at the root of the social movement. Prime Minister Lecornu is due to hold a press conference on Monday, after a meeting with representatives of high school student associations.

Students are calling for better study conditions and an increase in the number of tenured teachers. The protests also concern the rising cost of living, while the authorities accuse far-left activists of infiltrating the demonstrators in order to cause chaos.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned that the situation could remain tense. Numerous police officers were deployed at Saturday’s protests, and 1,435 people were arrested. Another 150 demonstrators and 267 police officers were injured, according to the Interior Ministry. The ban on demonstrations in city centers will remain in place, and new protests are scheduled for October 31 and November 5, when a general strike has also been announced.