France Unrest · Breaking
Published Saturday, 24 October, 8:27 a.m. ET (2:27 p.m. Paris) · Source: Franceinfo, French Interior Ministry figures
French police arrested 135 people nationwide by 1:00 p.m. Paris time (7:00 a.m. ET) on Saturday, 24 October 2026, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said. Turnout is well below last week’s, in the latest of the France protests that have shaken the government.
Police counted 35,000 demonstrators and 136 street actions at that hour, against 60,000 people at the same time a week earlier. Nuñez said the “instructions of firmness remain the same.”
Key Facts
- What happened: 135 arrests nationwide by 1:00 p.m. Paris time (7:00 a.m. ET).
- Who announced it: Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
- The numbers: 35,000 marchers and 136 actions, against 60,000 marchers a week ago.
- What happens next: Yellow Vests call another action day on 31 October.
- Prediction markets: Polymarket gives 8.5% to a French state of emergency by 31 October (8:27 a.m. ET, 24 October).
This story is part of our coverage of the why France is in crisis. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
In plain English
Two Saturdays of nationwide marches over school conditions, living costs and public services have put French police on alert. Today’s figures come from the Interior Minister and cover the first hours of the day.
A Smaller Crowd, the Same Firmness
Nuñez gave the arrest figure for the whole national territory, not just Paris. The count is provisional and does not say how many people were held in custody or charged.
Last Saturday, 17 October, the Interior Ministry counted 550,000 demonstrators nationwide, including 110,000 in Paris. Nuñez offered his resignation on 18 October, and President Emmanuel Macron refused it on 19 October.
Paris March Runs on a Police Route
The Paris march left Porte d’Italie at 2:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m. ET) for Porte de Vincennes. Police changed the route on Friday evening from the planned Bastille to Nation line.
The administrative court rejected the organisers’ appeal against the change, as we reported in Paris Unions Accept Police March Route. Police also carried out more than 600 checks at Paris transport stations.
The Political Backdrop
The movement began with protests by high-school students. Unions, university students and Yellow Vest activists joined, citing living costs and public services.
In Orléans, the National Rally, the conservative party led by Marine Le Pen, is holding a congress in the city on 24 and 25 October. Nuñez had warned that several tens of thousands of counter-protesters were expected there, as covered in Thousands March as Le Pen’s Party Meets.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, traders put the odds of France declaring a state of emergency at 8.5% by 31 October and 14.0% by 31 December (US$670,936 traded, 8:27 a.m. ET on 24 October). On Kalshi, an exchange regulated in the US by the CFTC, the price for a state of emergency before 1 November is 12%.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for US Readers
France is a longtime US ally and one of Europe’s biggest economies, so weeks of unrest raise the political stakes ahead of its 2027 presidential vote. Travellers should expect rerouted marches and transport checks in Paris through the weekend; our guide explains why France is protesting.
What Is Not Known
Officials have not said how many of the 135 arrests led to custody or charges. Final turnout and arrest totals for the full day will come only after the marches end.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people were arrested in France on 24 October?
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 135 people had been arrested nationwide by 1:00 p.m. Paris time (7:00 a.m. ET). It is a provisional count that will rise or fall as the day goes on.
Why are people protesting in France?
The movement began with protests by high-school students. Unions, students and Yellow Vest activists have since joined, citing living costs and public services.
Are the protests bigger or smaller than last week?
Smaller so far. Police counted 35,000 demonstrators at 1:00 p.m. Paris time, against 60,000 at the same hour a week earlier.
What happens next?
The Yellow Vests, the grassroots movement that began in 2018, have called another day of action for 31 October. Prediction markets give a small chance of a state of emergency by then.
Sources: Franceinfo live report, 24 October 2026; Le Monde live report, 24 October 2026; Polymarket; Préfecture de police de Paris.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
France in Turmoil
- Why France Is in Crisis, and How Macron Lost His Grip
- Why Is France Protesting? Riots, Curfews and the 2027 Race
- Is It Safe to Travel to France Right Now? Curfews, Strikes
- Who Will Win France’s 2027 Election? Polls and Odds