France has imposed an unprecedented security operation across Paris ahead of planned demonstrations on Saturday, deploying tens of thousands of police officers and military personnel amid fears that protests could escalate into violence, vandalism and looting.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has instructed police to respond “with maximum and immediate responsiveness” to troublemakers and looters, as authorities seek to prevent a repeat of the widespread unrest reported last week.

Armed soldiers from France’s counterterrorism military unit have been patrolling the famous Champs-Élysées avenue, while police vehicles have been deployed around the Arc de Triomphe at Place Charles de Gaulle. The operation aims to protect the capital’s landmarks and businesses if violence breaks out.

Nuñez has ordered the deployment of 70,000 police officers nationwide for Saturday’s demonstrations—around 10,000 more than were deployed during the protests on October 17. The vandalism and looting reported during those demonstrations raised questions about the government’s ability to maintain public order.

In recent weeks, soaring living costs and a severe crisis in public services have brought students, workers and trade unions onto the streets. Authorities, however, allege that radical political groups and groups of young looters are exploiting the wider protest movement to create disorder.

Addressing police officers on duty in Paris, Nuñez warned that troublemakers could target shops, public institutions and law enforcement personnel.

“We must respond extremely quickly. There is considerable incitement to disorder from political extremist groups and criminals. Today is going to be a long and difficult day for us,” he said.

Shops, Museums and Opera Houses Close

Fearing vandalism and looting, numerous Parisian shopkeepers have covered the glass fronts of their stores with wooden boards and plywood. Luxury brands have also introduced additional security measures.

After thousands of shops and businesses across France were reportedly damaged or looted last week, several business associations urged retailers to close their premises on Saturday.

Lydia Shevchenko, a sales assistant at the Graziella Braccialini showroom in Paris, said customers were unlikely to visit shopping malls or luxury stores amid the tense atmosphere.

“Feeling comfortable and at ease is also an important part of shopping,” she said.

Several prominent cultural institutions, including the Louvre Museum, the Musée d’Orsay and the Paris Opera, announced that they would remain closed for the day to avoid potential clashes and disruption. More than 20 metro stations have also been shut.

Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the main demonstration route after police sought to move organizers away from central Paris and relocate the protest to the southeastern outskirts of the city.

In a statement, Paris police headquarters said the route originally announced by the organizers could seriously disrupt public order, particularly because it passed through areas with a high concentration of businesses vulnerable to attacks similar to those reported on October 17 and 18.

The last-minute change has angered left-wing political groups. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a prominent far-left leader, expressed strong opposition in a social media post.

“The authorities are once again obstructing this peaceful march and making it impossible for the organizing organizations to rearrange the route,” he wrote, adding that such coercive methods were spreading across the country.