Poland

Warsaw, October 25, 2026. For the Polish press, Saturday, October 24, in France was first and foremost a test of public order, a week after riots described by Rzeczpospolita as "among the most serious street violence in France in years".

The daily newspaper emphasizes the preparation of the authorities: after the looting of the previous week, they mobilized 70,000 police officers, with helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. Local curfews were established, and the Louvre, with the Mona Lisa, remained closed, as did the Orsay and Orangerie museums, the Jeu de Paume, the Picasso Museum, and the Tuileries Garden. Rzeczpospolita counts the closed Louvre as the "third museum" affected and describes tourists caught off guard.

The balance is reported from official sources. On Saturday evening, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced nearly 1,000 arrests, specifying that the figure would increase, compared to more than 380 at the same time on October 17 (more than 2,000 in total). He judged that the 289 demonstrations had generally gone well and that the looting was not comparable to that of the previous week, without "organized attacks on public buildings". On Sunday, the spokesperson for the Paris police prefecture, Hélène Denéchère, reported 142 arrests in the capital, including 126 in custody, and around 500 people who attacked police at the end of the procession. The MSW, cited by RMF24, gives 410,000 demonstrators, including 110,000 in Paris; the organizers claim 250,000 in Paris. The socialist mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire, spoke on X of a demonstration that took place "in much calmer conditions".

The Polish headlines then broaden their view. According to Rzeczpospolita, citing Reuters, clashes took place in Turin, Rome, and Bologna, while Milan remained largely peaceful. The Italian authorities had strengthened security, and the police arrested a suspect linked to the "October 17 Movement" on Saturday morning. Belgium is also mentioned.

RMF24 finally relays, according to Le Figaro, the announcement of a new mobilization on October 31: a coordination site, which claims to be linked to the yellow vests of 2018-2019, calls for people to gather in front of the Parliament and town halls, including in a "sit-in". The social background, the high cost of living, and inequalities are mentioned, but serve mainly as a backdrop to the story about security.