France Deploys 70,000 Police as Protests Over Budget and Inflation Turn Violent
France has deployed 70,000 police officers nationwide amid widespread protests over education funding, low wages, and inflation. Authorities have arrested 135 people and seized weapons following violent weekend demonstrations. The crackdown follows riots that damaged approximately 3,000 shops and public buildings. Paris restricted the main march route, closed major museums, and banned rallies in several cities. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez offered his resignation after protests turned violent, but President Macron rejected it. Police warned crowds at Bastille to disperse or face fines of 135 euros. Unions reluctantly accepted restrictions, while Yellow Vest activists signaled defiance. Separately, thousands marched in Orleans against far-right politics during Marine Le Pen's National Rally conference.