French Interior Minister Vows 'Absolutely Uncompromising' Stance on Vandals Ahead of Weekend Protests
Minister Admits Police Lost Control Last Weekend
Resignation Refused: Macron Keeps Nuñez in Post
Nuñez submitted his resignation to Macron on Sunday, saying he was "responsible for everything that is happening." The Élysée Palace announced Monday that Macron refused it, citing "the necessity for continued leadership of law enforcement in the current context," and instructed Nuñez to ensure full transparency over the intelligence and planning failures that led to the violence and to put in place new operational methods for security forces. Some opposition politicians had called for Nuñez's dismissal, but Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu acknowledged shortcomings in the state's response, saying police deployments had been too static and that authorities erred by not cancelling planned police leave.
Weekend Ahead: 70,000 Officers and Military Support
Ahead of a fresh round of protests this Saturday, Nuñez announced Friday that France will deploy some 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide, with riot squads and elite units securing public buildings in a "highly mobile" operation; even police trainees will be drafted in as support. The "Sentinelle" military force will also be deployed, mainly to free up police and gendarmes for order-maintenance duties. Nuñez warned that "numerous calls from radical far-left groups on social media" to commit violence, vandalism and looting were already circulating, spread "clearly by rioters." "We will be absolutely uncompromising" with those involved in violence, he said, warning of a "very firm approach to making arrests" and legal consequences. The Louvre and other museums will close on Saturday, and curfews have been imposed in parts of Paris.
Official Line: Separate Legitimate Demands from Crime
Both Macron and Nuñez have stressed distinguishing peaceful demonstrators with "legitimate demands" from "vandals, looters and far-left activists." Nuñez singled out those he accused of trying to "kill police officers" and assigned "political responsibility" to La France Insoumise for failing to condemn the violence with sufficient vigour. Despite the government's pledges, French media criticised the initial response as a "fiasco." Over the coming days, the justice system is expected to hand down severe penalties, and whether the weekend's massive deployment can restore state control will be the key test.
