French PM vows 'massive' police deployment for new demonstrations

PARIS: Paris police on Tuesday (Oct 20) ordered a temporary ban on people carrying cans or bottles of petrol or gas, or possessing fireworks, following weekend riots in the capital and elsewhere in France.

The measures, which apply up to and including Thursday and cover the greater Paris region, came as France's government vowed a "massive" security deployment for fresh protests that have been called for Saturday.

Another ban was also ordered forbidding the wearing of protective gear, such as helmets, within a block of high schools or universities.

Clashes have broken out between police and masked youths, some of whom wore helmets, protective goggles, gloves and gas masks, both last weekend and occasionally during four weeks of student protests before that.