French police detained 135 people on Saturday as they moved to secure nationwide demonstrations, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced. The operation aimed to prevent a resurgence of street violence that had plagued recent weeks.
The seized arsenal was unsettlingly diverse. Officers confiscated metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, airsoft guns, and a katana. Nunez listed these items with grim precision, highlighting the potential for organized aggression.
Despite the heavy security presence and the weaponry pulled from the streets, the day ended without major clashes. "There has been no major incident," Nunez stated, a quiet admission that the preemptive strategy worked. The silence on the streets was a tactical victory for the interior ministry.
The arrests signal a shift toward aggressive pre-emptive policing in France. With tensions still simmering, authorities are likely to maintain a heightened state of readiness for any subsequent public gatherings.