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The situation in France is extremely tense at present and the country is once again fully prepared to face the storm of large-scale protests. After the incidents of violence, vandalism and arson that broke out in various parts of the country during the last few weeks, the French government has taken a tough decision this time not to take any laxity. The administration of President Emmanuel Macron has imposed tight security measures rarely seen in years to maintain law and order in the country and crack down on miscreants. A huge gathering of security forces can be seen from the capital Paris to major cities like Marseille and Lyon, due to which the entire country seems to be transformed into a cantonment.
Once again on French soil, public dissatisfaction is seen boiling on the streets. Students organizations, labor unions and activists associated with various social movements have once again announced to take to the streets on a large scale against the policies of the government. According to experts and local media reports, lakhs of common citizens, students and workers may participate in these demonstrations this weekend. This anger of the people is mainly against the rising inflation, rising cost of living, rising fuel prices and cuts in government expenditure. Although there have been initial conflicts and restrictions regarding the routes of protests at the level of courts and local administration, but after the stubborn stance of the organizers, the government has had to completely change its strategy on the security front. People from different corners of the country are preparing to march towards the capital, due to which the administrative machinery is in sleepless nights.
The level of security preparations made by the French Home Ministry and administration to prevent mass agitation and possible violence has surprised everyone. According to the official announcement, around 70,000 policemen and security officials have been deployed across the country to maintain tight security arrangements. This deployment is not limited to the general police force, but also includes specialized units specialized in counter-terrorism operations and handling riots. Heavily armored vehicles and state-of-the-art water cannons have been deployed on the streets of Paris and other sensitive cities so that in case of any disturbance, the crowd can be immediately dispersed by spraying water. Apart from this, a strict vigil is being maintained by the police on the ground as well as from the sky. Police helicopters and drones are constantly circling over sensitive areas so that live feeds of crowd movement and any suspicious activity can be directly sent to the control room. The government has made it clear that this time those who damage public property or attack the police will be dealt with very strictly.
Aware of the threat of possible violent clashes and vandalism, France’s major cultural and historical institutions have taken the historic decision to remain closed for their own safety. Paris’s world-famous Louvre Museum, Orsay Museum, Picasso Museum and Grand Palace, which are the center of attraction for tourists from all over the world, will remain completely closed during the weekend. The closure of these global centers of art and culture can be gauged as to how seriously the government and local administration are taking this threat. On the other hand, an atmosphere of great panic is being seen among the traders and shopkeepers of the big commercial metros of the country. After incidents of looting and arson in many shops were carried out by miscreants during the previous protests, this time shopkeepers have put up strong wooden boards on the windows and doors of their shops and showrooms as a precautionary measure to protect the property from any possible attack. Businessmen say that these repeated demonstrations and the atmosphere of lawlessness have broken the back of their business, and they are demanding a solid guarantee of their safety from the government.
The roots of this mass movement smoldering in France are very deep and it is mainly related to the economic plight of the country and the everyday problems of the common people. Due to the geopolitical turmoil in Europe and the impact of the global economic recession, the citizens of France are also facing a huge economic crisis. The continuous increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and other petroleum products has spoiled the budget of the common people. Moreover, the prices of everyday consumer goods and food items are skyrocketing, making life difficult for the middle class and lower income groups. The government’s decisions to cut the budget of public services and welfare schemes in the name of reducing the budget deficit have added fuel to public anger. Citizens say that instead of providing relief to the general public, the government is benefiting industrialists and big companies. Sporadic protests were going on in different parts of the country for the last few days regarding all these issues, which are now taking the form of a huge mass movement.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his government have taken a strict stance to prevent the situation in the country from getting out of control. The government has warned in clear words that anyone indulging in violence, looting shops or taking law into their own hands in the name of protests will not be spared and strict legal action will be taken against them immediately. To crack down on the protesters, protests with face coverings have been completely banned in many areas and strict restrictions like night curfew have also been imposed by the local administration. Along with this, many countries of the world including India have issued important advisories for their citizens in view of this tense situation arising in France. The Indian Embassy and the Ministry of External Affairs have advised Indian citizens visiting or living in France to exercise extreme caution and avoid unnecessarily crowded areas and around protest sites. Overall, France is currently going through a critical phase where the government is facing the dual challenge of restoring law and order and quelling public anger, and the coming few days are going to prove to be very decisive for the future political and social scenario of the country.