France Deploys 70,000 Police and Military for Saturday Protests

France is deploying 70,000 police and military personnel ahead of Saturday's protests planned in over 90 cities, following last weekend's urban guerrilla violence and looting. Authorities have banned demonstrations "wherever possible," with Paris shops barricaded and weapon sales surging. The CGT union's Paris march will run from Place de la Bastille to Nation, with metro stations closing from 10 a.m. and major museums shut. Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, and Le Mans have banned gatherings, while a 20,000-person rally in Orléans will proceed alongside the far-right Rassemblement national congress. President Macron rejected opposition calls for a state of emergency, despite criticism from leftist leaders who called Thursday's government meeting with party heads "a waste of time." A curfew remains in sensitive Paris areas until Monday, with soldiers deployed under Operation Sentinelle.