France to deploy 70,000 police as new protests loom after week’s of riots

French authorities have pledged an uncompromising response to potential violence and vandalism, announcing the nationwide deployment of 70,000 police officers ahead of planned weekend demonstrations, according to a report by Deutsche Welle.

​Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned that calls for looting and destruction were circulating online, confirming that regular law enforcement will be bolstered by elite units, mounted police, water cannons, armored vehicles, drones, and anti-drone systems. The strict security measures follow widespread riots the previous weekend, during which thousands of businesses were ransacked and vehicles burned. In Paris, local authorities implemented night curfews in key squares, and business owners boarded up storefronts in anticipation of fresh clashes.

​What initially began as student-led demonstrations demanding better educational facilities and additional teaching staff has expanded into broader civil unrest fueled by growing public anger over rising living costs.

​While the police sanctioned a single union-led march along a restricted route in Paris, unofficial protests are expected to proceed as student representatives rejected discussions with President Emmanuel Macron and urged demonstrators to maintain their standoff with the government.