'Night of darkness': French police ready to hunt down masked protesters on Halloween night

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has issued a stern warning that police will pursue masked protesters as France anticipates fresh demonstrations on Saturday, coinciding with Halloween celebrations. Approximately 70,000 security personnel will be mobilized nationwide, mirroring the deployment from the previous week when protests were less violent compared to the October 17 clashes and looting.

The government has once again prohibited protests in city centers to avert a recurrence of the widespread October 17 vandalism, leaving numerous businesses reliant on zero-interest state loans to recover from their losses.

Nunez anticipates that this weekend's protests will differ from the previous ones, as they will extend into the evening, around 8pm local time. He cautioned about social media posts urging gatherings in public squares, emphasizing that phrases like "night of darkness," "emerging from the shadows," and "revolution" have raised alarm among police forces.

Despite acknowledging that people will "dress up in costumes" for the festivities, Nunez firmly stated that covering one's face in public has been banned in France since 2010, and doing so during a violent protest is an offense punishable by up to a year in prison and a €15,000 fine. He reiterated at a press conference that "Halloween night will not be a legitimate reason to conceal one's face in a public space for the purpose of disturbing public order."

CCI France president Alain Di Crescenzo expressed concern that Halloween would exacerbate the situation, noting that 3,000 business owners have already suffered damage since the protest movement began in mid-September. He emphasized that "Halloween is heightening their concerns" and reiterated that the business community cannot wait for the weekend to end.