French President Emmanuel Macron has blamed social media for damaging democracy amid violence and protests in France over the high cost of living.
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During his visit to Marseille's town hall, which was briefly stormed by protesters on October 17, Macron told law enforcement officers that it was not normal for the country to be in such turmoil, called for the looting and vandalism of that day to never be repeated, and promised to continue to stick to the line.
Macron described social media as a tool for mobilizing the worst tendencies, and said the movement would subside if those in power did their job well by meeting legitimate expectations while maintaining order, but he warned that nothing was certain.
He warned that a new round of protests planned for the weekend could become dangerous, adding that routes would remain outside city centers to protect public order.
Authorities have acknowledged security and intelligence failures that allowed the October 17 violence, which included widespread looting and damage to public property. They tightened security measures for last Saturday's demonstrations and promised to remain vigilant. One of Macron's aides said that, from a security point of view, they had largely turned things around.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said that just over a dozen curfews imposed by local authorities would remain in place, and promised a very tough security operation for next Saturday's demonstrations, saying they expected things to be difficult again, and that Halloween night is traditionally always lively.
The unrest came after weeks of demonstrations by students demanding better learning conditions. Criticism of the police response, described as excessively forceful, fueled a broader movement against the cost of living and police violence. Several teenage protesters were seriously injured and thousands were arrested.