France protests for fifth Saturday against living costs and heavy-handed policing

Another day of protests against the high cost of living in France this Saturday. More than 50 marches are expected across the country, organised by youth groups and the Yellow Vest movement. The main trade unions are backing the protests but will not be overseeing the marches. The movement brings together a range of demands, among them opposition to a proposed law under which it would be presumed that police officers and gendarmes were acting lawfully when when they use their weapons. This, at a time when France's approach to policing protests is already criticised as heavy-handed. Critics say the bill would give the officers a licence to kill. Meanwhile, police representatives have met with the Interior Minister, securing a promise of an increase in their risk allowance. But they say it does not go far enough. Words of affection are all well and good. Thank yous are great. But words don't pay our colleagues' bills. What matters is the figure at the bottom of the payslip. More and more often, we're exposed to risks that are more and more numerous. And the violence is getting worse. At some point, that has to be recognized. The minister is doing his job, but his job is also to get money from the prime minister. Perhaps getting the president to sign off on it too, I don't know. Right now, for us, it's unacceptable. For us, we're hoping for a lot better. Ahead of this fifth round of protests over education and the cost of living, The Interior Minister has warned of further scenes of looting and chaos. He has urged local prefects not to let their guard down, saying there has been no let-up in the intensity of the violence. Nearly 70,000 police officers and gendarmes are expected to be deployed.