French PM vows ‘massive’ police deployment for new demonstrations– www.channelnewsasia.com

PARIS: French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Tuesday (Oct 20) vowed a “massive” police presence at fresh protests called for the coming weekend, as he faced criticism over the handling of recent street violence.

The eurozone’s second-largest economy was rocked on Saturday by some of its worst rioting in recent years, just six months before voters head to the polls to elect a successor to President Emmanuel Macron.

Facing angry lawmakers in parliament, Lecornu acknowledged that the security response had fallen short and promised a stronger approach ahead of a new wave of protests.

“The deployment for next Saturday will be massive,” Lecornu said.

He accused ultra-left radical groups of forging an “insurrectionary plan” that led to the riots, which erupted on the sidelines of nationwide protests over the cost of living.

Images of clashes, mobs looting stores and public buildings set ablaze last weekend prompted several countries, including the United States, China and Germany, to issue travel advisories for their citizens in France.

French authorities on Monday announced partial curfews in Paris and some other cities, and Lecornu said new curfews would be imposed on Tuesday where needed.

Paris police ordered a temporary ban on people carrying cans or bottles of petrol or gas, after mobs set fire to government buildings and shops last weekend.