‘Yellow vest’ violence lessens in France amid huge police deployment

PARIS — French security forces fanned out across Paris and other cities Saturday as the country faced a 19th weekend of “yellow vest” demonstrations, after a surge of violence last week that caught officials by surprise after months of dwindling numbers and calmer protests.

Though sporadic clashes erupted late in the day, violence dropped Saturday as protesters marched peacefully in the French capital and elsewhere.

Almost 6,000 police officers were on the streets of Paris, especially around the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe, which have become the focus of protests and where officials this past week banned demonstrations.

Christophe Castaner, France’s Interior minister, said 5,000 people had demonstrated in the capital and 40,500 nationwide. He said 65,000 officers and had been deployed across France, making 233 arrests.

“Our instructions of firmness were followed and made it possible to maintain order and avoid outbursts,” he said.

Didier Lallement, the new chief of the Paris police — his predecessor was fired after last weekend’s violence — said police took more proactive steps to “immediately put a stop to violence.”

In Paris, the police stationed dozens of vans, water cannons and armored vehicles on the Champs-Elysees, and few protesters challenged them. Instead, most of the demonstrators marched on a preapproved route from southern Paris up to the Sacre-Coeur cathedral.

The demonstrations, set off in November by an increase in fuel taxes — which was suspended — snowballed into an expression of much broader and discontent against Macron.