An 'insurrectionary plan' behind the riots

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Tuesday accused radical ultra-left groups of orchestrating the violent weekend rioting in France, telling the National Assembly he had seen evidence of "the planning, in certain locations, of an insurrectionary plan led by far-left and ultra-left fringe groups".

The riots broke out on the sidelines of nationwide cost of living protests and demonstrations over education funding.

What Lecornu promised

Speaking in the National Assembly, the prime minister said a "massive" security presence would be mobilised for the coming Saturday's protests, and called for an "immediate return to order".

He warned that authorities would not tolerate radical groups "marching on the Elysée or Matignon" - the offices and residences of the president and the premier in Paris.

• •A "massive" security deployment is planned for Saturday's demonstrations.
• •Lecornu demanded an "immediate return to order".
• •Marches targeting the Elysée or Matignon will not be tolerated.

Military backup through the Sentinelle force

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that some military forces would reinforce police during the Saturday protests, with the Sentinelle force among them.

Nunez, also addressing the National Assembly, said the military deployment was designed mainly to free police and gendarmes for order-maintenance missions: "We will deploy the Sentinelle force, obviously as a substitute to interior security forces".

The next test comes on Saturday, when the massive deployment Lecornu and Nunez announced is due to take effect at the protests.