Paris deployed police by the thousands yesterday before the latest massive protest over a new youth employment law, and commuters across France struggled to get to work during a nationwide strike over the measure.
The strike hit public transport, cutting deeply into air traffic and the number of trains and buses.
In the largest rollout of forces since unrest connected with such protests first erupted more than two weeks ago, some 4,000 police were deployed and patrols were stepped up at train and subway stations, officials said. Protests were expected in about 200 cities and towns.
Unions said between 200,000 and 250,000 people turned out for a march in Mediterranean port of Marseille, many more than on a last day of worker-student demonstrations on March 18.
In the western city of Nantes police put the figure at 42,000, more than double the turnout of March 18.
Le Mans, Rouen and Tours also reported increased crowds.
The biggest demonstration was due in the afternoon in Paris, with police on high alert for outbreaks of violence.
Authorities were bracing for a flood of youths from poor suburbs like those who infiltrated a Paris student march last Thursday and clashed with police near the golden-domed Invalides building in the heart of the city.
French President Jacques Chirac canceled a planned trip yesterday to the English Channel port city of Le Havre "in light of events," his office said.
Lawmakers were expected to discuss the showdown over the jobs law at a session of the lower house of parliament yesterday.
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