France Faces Continued Protests Amid Police Tactics Scrutiny

Source reports published 23 Oct 2026, 2:01 am – 3:50 pm AEST

Further protests are expected in France as police tactics and the use of weapons, including stun grenades and rubber bullets, are under scrutiny following injuries sustained by teenagers during previous unrest. Rioters have engaged in destructive behavior, prompting increased police deployment.

What happened

• Police across France are responding to ongoing protests concerning public sector cuts, the cost-of-living crisis, and student demands.
• The French government intends to deploy 20 percent more police this Saturday in response to the weekend’s events.
• In Paris, police restricted planned marches and implemented city center closures.
• Activist groups have warned of defiance against these restrictions.
• During previous protests, police tactics, including the use of LBD-40 rubber bullets and stun grenades, resulted in serious injuries to teenagers, including loss of an eye and a broken jaw.
• Anastassia Tsoukala, a criminology professor, highlighted the unique use of stun grenades in France and the potential for danger when guidelines are not strictly followed.
• Roche noted that the French police’s equipment and approach to crowd control have evolved, contrasting it with methods used in other European countries like Germany.
• The Interior Ministry has stated that officers largely respected principles of proportionality during the protests, but scrutiny remains regarding the use of force and its impact on demonstrators.

Original reporting

• Deutsche Welle: Are the French police the most violent in the EU?
  2026-10-22T16:01:17.734000+00:00
• South China Morning Post: France braces for more unrest as police tactics and weapons face scrutiny
  2026-10-23T05:50:08+00:00