France and Germany Brace for Unrest as Hundreds of Protests Planned Across Europe

French authorities are preparing for a wave of demonstrations, with interior minister Laurent Nuñez warning of a 'very high risk of public disorder.' In Paris, police have banned two separate marches planned by unions and gilets jaunes through the city centre, instead authorizing a single protest in the far south-east. An appeal by organizers against the exclusion was rejected late Friday. The interior ministry reported 410,000 people marched last Saturday, when a strong police presence largely prevented a repeat of the violence and looting that swept French cities during the first wave of mass protests on 17 October. The coordinated restrictions reflect heightened security concerns across Europe, as Germany also braces for planned unrest. The measures underscore the challenge facing governments balancing the right to protest with public safety, amid persistent social and economic grievances that continue to fuel widespread demonstrations.