135 arrested in France protest weekend

French authorities detained 135 people on Saturday as protests over the cost of living entered their second weekend.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the arrests and stated that police seized various items from demonstrators. The list included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, airsoft weapons, and a katana. Nuñez said that so far, there has been no major incident in the country.

Security forces deployed up to 70,000 officers to major cities. This deployment was supported by helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. The goal was to prevent a repeat of the unrest from the previous week. More than half a million people participated in the demonstrations last weekend.

In Lyon, police used tear gas to disperse about 150 protesters who tried to block a road near the city center. A 21-year-old student told Agence France-Presse that officers were very mobile. The student noted that police disperse marches before they even form. Demonstrations in Lyon had been officially banned.

In Orleans, thousands of people marched against a congress hosted by Marine Le Pen. Le Pen is using the event to launch her bid to succeed Emmanuel Macron as president. Elections are six months away, and current surveys place Le Pen in the best position to win. Participants chanted slogans targeting both political leaders. Police counted 11,000 participants, while organizers claimed the number was 26,000. The protest involved about 50 groups, including unions and student organizations.

Paris authorities described the mood as calm during the city's only authorized march. The event took place at the Porte d'Italie. Police moved the location from the Bastille at the last minute. Union representative Murielle Guilbert called the move scandalous. She stated that wages have not risen to the level they should. A student named Lucas told CBS Saturday Morning that it is normal for people to be angry.

The unrest has affected daily life and major events in the capital. Major museums are closed, and many businesses have boarded up their entrances. Art Basel opened for one day only and cancelled its weekend program. A soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais has been moved to Monday night. Around 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the previous weekend's protests.

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