France braces for more protests after weekend riots and clashes

France is bracing for more protests this weekend following last week's riots and looting, which saw hundreds of thousands demonstrate and resulted in unprecedented clashes with police, including injuries to a teenager and a toddler. Authorities have jailed at least 217 people and plan to increase police deployments by 20 percent, while President Emmanuel Macron said only authorized union demonstrations will be permitted, with bans imposed in cities like Nice and Lyon. Businesses in central Paris are boarding up windows, and the Pittsburgh Steelers cancelled a fan event ahead of Sunday's NFL game. The protests began over teaching shortages and school conditions but have expanded to broader issues like the cost of living, with around 550,000 participants last weekend. Macron blamed "ultra-left groups" for the unrest, while police face backlash over heavy-handed tactics, including reports of serious injuries to minors.