A new day of social mobilization is taking place this Saturday, October 24, in a climate of very high tension, while France is still dealing with the damage from Storm Austen. Here are the practical information and essential facts to know.

【70,000 law enforcement officers deployed Saturday】

According to Le Monde, seventy thousand police officers and gendarmes will be mobilized Saturday for this new day of protest. Authorities fear overreach and looting scenes, following a weekend already marked by violence.

Still according to the government cited by Le Monde, 550,000 people had marched throughout the country last weekend. Hundreds of marches are expected Saturday in several cities across France. Read on Le Monde

【Modified Parisian route: Bastille-Nation banned】

Paris's police prefecture banned Friday afternoon the demonstration route negotiated the day before with unions, between the Bastille and Nation squares, reports France Info. An alternative route was proposed, going from Porte de Vincennes to Porte d'Italie according to Le Figaro, but it was rejected by the inter-union coalition.

France Info indicates that an injunction was filed Saturday morning by the inter-union coalition against this route change. This modification could have a direct impact on your travels: the Bastille, Nation, Porte de Vincennes and Porte d'Italie areas are likely to be disrupted. Read on France Info

【Cultural venues closed and shops barricaded】

Facing risks of overreach, several cultural institutions announced full or partial closures Saturday. According to Le Figaro, the Palace of Versailles, Paris Opera and the Louvre Museum are among the affected locations. If you had planned a visit, check opening hours before traveling. Read on Le Figaro

On the retailers' side, France Info reports that many will open Saturday with concern, while others have chosen to stay closed and barricade themselves, out of fear of violence and looting. Read on France Info

【Demonstrations banned in Lyon and other major cities】

Demonstrations have been banned in several major cities for Saturday. According to France Info, Lyon (Rhône) has thus banned all gatherings. Many activists nonetheless plan to join the movement, anger remaining strong there.

This ban does not guarantee the absence of gatherings: check local instructions and avoid tense areas if you are in these cities. Read on France Info

【Storm Austen: power outages and transport disruptions】

Storm Austen left significant damage. According to Le Monde, 242,000 households remained without electricity Friday, and three northern departments — Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Somme — remain on orange alert for wind. A man died cutting a tree after the storm passed, Friday in Manche. Read on Le Monde

France Info specifies that up to 300,000 households were left without electricity at the height of the episode, mainly in Normandy, Brittany, Northern France, the Loire Valley and Center-Val de Loire. Many disruptions also affected transport. Read on France Info

【#BalanceTonPilleur: Can you report on social media?】

After the vandalism and looting that occurred during the protests on Saturday, October 17, internet users are trying to identify the suspected perpetrators themselves, using two hashtags: #BalanceTonPilleur and #BalanceTonCasseur. France Info examined the legal issue of these online reports.

These initiatives raise legal questions: identifying and publicly sharing suspected individuals can pose legality issues, particularly regarding respect for the presumption of innocence. Read on France Info