France deploys 70,000 police for Saturday protests after riots

France is on high alert for nationwide protests on Saturday, a week after some of the country's worst unrest in decades, with over 70,000 police officers deployed amid fears of violence. The interior ministry is ramping up security after the government faced criticism for failing to foresee the scale of the 17 October riots, which saw looting and buildings torched. Hundreds have been jailed, and restrictions on demonstrations vary by city, with some mayors imposing blanket bans. The protests, organized by students, unions, and anti-government groups, come amid high public disillusionment over cost-of-living pressures and political polarization. A revived yellow-vest movement has planned over 500 demonstrations, and a far-right conference in Orléans could be a flashpoint.