France arrests 135 and seizes weapons at cost-of-living protests

The French government announced it arrested 135 people nationwide by early Saturday afternoon during a major operation to curb violence at protests called across the country. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said many arrests followed preventive searches that seized items that could be used as weapons. The seized items included metal balls, pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel bullets, improvised weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns. Authorities mobilized 70,000 police and special agents for the day, following violent episodes a week earlier that damaged or looted about 3,000 shops. Saturday's protests began peacefully in Paris, though police used tear gas in Lyon and Pau to disperse small disturbances. Major Paris museums closed, and curfews were announced in at least ten cities. The demonstrations against the high cost of living have drawn over 500,000 people, with about 1,800 arrested last Saturday.