European Student Protests Turn Violent in France and Italy

A wave of student protests across Europe has turned violent in France and several Italian cities, with riots, looting, and clashes reported. Protests also caused disruptions in Brussels and Wallonia, according to a Belgian news report. Hours before a planned demonstration in Paris, the route remains unclear after police banned the agreed path from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation. Unions oppose the new route and are considering challenging the decision, while French authorities have deployed 70,000 security forces nationwide for Saturday. The French government has banned most demonstrations, allowing only union-organized events on alternative routes, and imposed curfews in several cities. In Paris, 451 shops were looted or damaged in weekend riots, and major museums closed Saturday.