Saturday protest in Paris placed under high security

PARIS – The head of Paris police says about 2,000 police officers will be deployed to ensure security in the French capital during an anti-government protest Saturday.

Prefect Michel Delpuech promised Friday in a news conference a “powerful and consistent” effort, four days after May Day protests turned violent in the French capital.

Authorities blamed the violence on masked attackers from a libertarian group called the Black Blocs that numbered around 1,200 people in total. Six cars were burned, a McDonald’s restaurant was smashed up and automobile shops were vandalized.

Delpuech said “there is every reason to think” violent individuals will try to disturb Saturday’s protest.

The march, supported by far-left party France Insoumise (“Rebel France”), aims at denouncing French President Emmanuel Macron’s economic changes, almost one year after his election.