French businesses boarded up storefronts before Saturday’s protests, while Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the day as high risk and shopkeepers voiced concern about Halloween masks.
France 24 reported that businesses in several parts of the country had covered storefronts with protective boards. The outlet also reported that about 70,000 security personnel have been deployed.
At a news conference earlier this week, Nunez said authorities would give an “extremely firm response” to any trouble. He described the day as carrying “a very high risk” of unrest.
Alain Di Crescenzo, president of CCI France, told France Inter that shopkeepers were eager for the demonstrations to end. “Shopkeepers can’t wait for Saturday to be over,” he said. Di Crescenzo said Halloween was adding to merchants’ concerns because people would be wearing masks.
France 24 also reported that a message painted on plywood outside a Paris business described what the boards protected as “a family and its work.” EconoTimes previously covered France’s security plan for Halloween protests.
