People take to streets of Orleans as far-right National Rally party holds its congress.

On Saturday, under a gray sky threatening rain, thousands of people took to the streets of Orleans to say “NO” to fascism in France.

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They sought to counter far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who is officially launching her bid for the presidency of the Republic from the city this weekend as the front-runner.

“I’m protesting against Le Pen, the thief. She stole 3 million euros from European taxpayers and is still running as a candidate. She should go to prison. It’s a disgrace,” said Bruno, a resident of Orleans, a city of 116,000 people.

The retiree recalled the corruption case involving Le Pen and her party, the National Rally (RN), which diverted 2.8 million euros from the European Parliament to fund party expenses, as courts ruled in the first and second instances. Nevertheless, Le Pen avoided prison because she appealed to the Supreme Court, the third and final level of judicial review in France.

« La France n'est pas résignée ».

Nous avons marché à Orléans pour une France antiraciste, antifasciste, anticapitaliste, résolument humaniste.

Mes pensées vont d’abord à la famille du défunt et aux blessés de l’attentat raciste, islamophobe et négrophobe de Trappes. Nous… pic.twitter.com/7R9GLTC5Z6

— Bally Bagayoko (@BallyBagayoko) October 24, 2026

Bally Bagayoko’s text reads, “France does not resign. We march in Orleans for an anti-racist, anti-fascist, anti-capitalist and decidedly humanist France.

My thoughts go first to the family of the deceased and to those injured in the racist, Islamophobic and negrophobic attack of Trappes. We also work for you.

We were 26,000 people in the streets to say it loud and clear: the extreme right has no place in the Republic. 26,000 people in addition to the large crowds mobilized today throughout France against the high cost of living.

The same people, the same fight: for dignity, equality and social justice. We should have been more. The comrades who arrived by bus were blocked and parked at the motorway toll, preventing them from joining a peaceful meeting. What a shame for the prefect. silenced. They will not make us retreat.”

The march, organized by about 50 groups, including the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), proceeded peacefully through the northern part of the city along a route imposed by authorities, who kept left-wing demonstrators as far as possible from far-right activists gathered in the southern part of the city.

Thousands of people marched peacefully in a festive atmosphere despite the cold and restrictions imposed by authorities, who have banned Sunday’s demonstration, a move criticized by human rights organizations.

“Macron resign, Le Pen to prison” was one of the most frequently chanted slogans on Saturday morning, along with “The people united will never be defeated” and the national anthem, “La Marseillaise.”

French authorities deployed 3,000 police officers to Orleans to ensure the orderly conduct of the protest and the National Rally congress. The march organizers also kept watch throughout the event to ensure no one caused damage.

“I’m fed up with the far right being normalized. Things go much better when the left is in power,” said Fanny, who came out to protest despite being ill.

🇫🇷 Thousands of anti-fascist protesters took to the streets of Orléans to demonstrate against a congress held by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party. pic.twitter.com/9R2zhEXuBZ

— Gianl1974 (@Gianl1974) October 24, 2026

The march lasted nearly three hours, accompanied by electronic music, Brazilian-style percussion groups and political messages. Participants ranged from children to older adults and came from all backgrounds.

Among those attending the demonstration was Bally Bakayoko, the mayor of Saint-Denis and a member of the left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI). Dozens of people approached him to greet him, hug him and ask for selfies.

Over the past month, Bakayoko has become a symbol of the marches, particularly because of his support for young people’s demands and his efforts to position himself between them and police during baton and tear gas assaults at one of the mass protests that have put Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu under pressure.

The march was attended by Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure and CGT Secretary Sophie Binet. Although left-wing demonstrators mobilized peacefully, bars and restaurants in Orleans remained closed. Few businesses were open, even in Martroi Square. Those that were closed had covered their glass windows with boards and wooden panels.

“I trusted the left, and I know very well that we are capable of demonstrating calmly. What I was actually afraid of today was the far right,” said Juliette, a young doctor who took to the streets.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

Quasi 800mila persone hanno partecipato oggi alle manifestazioni organizzate in tutta la Francia contro il caro-vita. Lo ha reso noto il sindacato Cgt, secondo cui nella sola capitale sono scese in piazza 250mila manifestanti. Una cifra superiore a quella comunicata dalla prefettura di polizia di Parigi, che ha stimato la partecipazione al corteo nella capitale in 110mila manifestanti. Secondo il ministero dell’Interno, sono stati complessivamente 410mila i manifestanti in tutto il Paese. Oggi erano oltre 70mila gli agenti schierati in tutto il Paese, 700 le forme di protesta annunciate. E non solo: oltre 30mila persone hanno manifestato a Orlèans, dove si teneva il congresso del Rassemblement National. Finora 135 persone sono state fermate.

A Parigi, dopo un corteo pacifico, si sono registrati scontri tra forze dell’ordine e manifestanti quando gran parte del corteo è arrivato a destinazione, alla Porte de Vincennes. Gas lacrimogeni e un idrante in azione per tentare di disperdere la folla, mentre i manifestanti, la maggior parte con il volto coperto da una maschera, gridano slogan ostili alla polizia. Fino all’arrivo del corteo, tutto si era svolto nella calma. Tensioni si sono registrate anche a Lione, dove 10.000 persone si sono riunite per manifestare nonostante il divieto della polizia in un ampio perimetro della città. Tafferugli anche a Marsiglia e Rennes, dove a fine manifestazione la polizia ha fatto uso di gas lacrimogeni. A Nantes gli agenti sono ricorsi agli idranti per disperdere raduni non autorizzati.

Schierati 70mila agenti. I gilet gialli annunciano 700 forme di protesta in tutto il Paese

I gilet gialli hanno organizzato 700 forme di protesta oggi in Francia. Secondo una mappa pubblicata sul loro sito Internet, hanno previsto azioni in 86 rotatorie, 21 aree di servizio, due depositi di carburante, 33 stazioni ferroviarie, tre porti, 17 ponti e 17 caselli autostradali. I principali musei di Parigi sono rimasti chiusi e le autorità hanno schierato un ingente contingente di polizia in vista di una nuova ondata di proteste previste per oggi in tutta la Francia, nella speranza di evitare il ripetersi dei violenti disordini della scorsa settimana, che hanno sconvolto il Paese. Il ministro dell’Interno Laurent Nuñez ha dichiarato che saranno dispiegati in tutto il Paese fino a 70mila agenti, affiancati da elicotteri, veicoli blindati e cannoni ad acqua. Si prevede nuovamente una partecipazione massiccia, dopo che la scorsa settimana oltre mezzo milione di persone sono scese in piazza.

Le proteste al congresso del partito di Marine Le Pen

Intanto si sono radunanti 11mila manifestanti (29mila per gli organizzatori) ad Orléans, nel centro della Francia, contro il congresso del Rassemblement National che si svolge in città oggi e domani, stando ai dati della Prefettura. Presenti anche Olivier Faure (Ps), Bally Bagayoko (Lfi) e Sophie Binet (Cgt). La prefettura precisa che la stima “può ancora cambiare”, dal momento che molte persone sono ancora in viaggio.

Il sindaco Serge Grouard ha annunciato stamattina l’instaurazione di un coprifuoco in tutto il comune le prossime due notti per i minorenni. “Questo provvedimento preventivo – ha dichiarato il sindaco – deriva dalla volontà di prevenire qualsiasi violazione dell’ordine pubblico, limitare i rischi di disordini e garantire la sicurezza delle persone in un contesto di raduni annunciati”.

L'articolo Proteste in Francia, i sindacati: “800mila persone in piazza contro il caro vita”. Tensioni a Parigi, Marsiglia e Lione proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano.

France mobilizes 70,000 police and gendarmes amid fears of renewed unrest, while authorities restrict demonstrations and tighten security.

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France has deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes ahead of nationwide demonstrations on Saturday, with authorities warning of a heightened risk of unrest after vandalism and looting damaged about 3,000 businesses the previous week.

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Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu warned late Friday that the threat remained high, particularly from radical far-left groups and criminal elements operating alongside demonstrations called by trade unions, students and the Yellow Vest movement.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced a large-scale security operation to prevent further violence and looting.

“We will show no mercy to looters and troublemakers,” Nuñez declared. He has faced criticism from the left over police tactics and from the right for failing to prevent the previous week’s unrest.

France to mobilise 70,000 security forces for Saturday protest, interior minister says https://t.co/ok4e8kEy5t https://t.co/ok4e8kEy5t

— Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) October 23, 2026

Authorities have banned gatherings in numerous cities and restricted the routes of other demonstrations on security grounds, prompting criticism from trade unions and human rights organizations.

In major cities, trade union demonstrations were authorized on Saturday only in Paris, Marseille, Strasbourg, Lille, Mulhouse, Grenoble, Toulouse and Amiens.

In Paris, a last-minute change to the union march’s route sparked a dispute between police officials and organizers. Authorities cited the heightened threat following a racist attack on the outskirts of the capital the previous day as they redirected the march from Place de la Nation to Place d’Italie, keeping it away from the city center.

Several museums in the capital, including the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, will remain closed, as will the nearby Palace of Versailles. A nighttime curfew in the areas around Place de la République and Les Halles will also remain in force until Monday.

Banks and businesses in central Paris were boarding up shopfronts and windows late Friday and early Saturday in anticipation of possible vandalism, according to observations by Spanish news agency EFE.

Security concerns also extend to Orléans, about 130 kilometers (81 miles) south of Paris, where the far-right National Rally (RN) is holding a congress to formally launch Marine Le Pen’s presidential candidacy, roughly six months before the election.

Authorities estimated that 11,000 people took part in a counter-demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against Le Pen’s party. Organized in opposition to racism, fascism and imperialism, the march proceeded peacefully in a festive atmosphere, according to EFE.

Protesters chanted slogans including “Macron resign, Le Pen to prison” and sang the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, as well as the Spanish-language protest song “The People United Will Never Be Defeated.”

Authorities deployed about 3,000 officers in Orléans to prevent clashes between demonstrators and attendees at the RN congress. The local prefecture authorized Saturday’s march but banned a separate demonstration planned for Sunday.

The security measures reflect the authorities’ efforts to prevent further disorder while allowing some demonstrations to proceed. Restrictions on public gatherings and the deployment of thousands of officers have shaped preparations for Saturday’s rallies across France.